Brava: Mothers aware of the need to report cases of child sexual abuse to put an end to the situation

A group of mothers who participated this Monday afternoon in an open conversation on the prevention of sexual abuse said they were aware of the need to report cases of sexual abuse against children.

This activity, organized in partnership between the Cape Verdean Institute for Children and Adolescents (ICCA) in Brava and the Basic School of Nossa Senhora do Monte (EBNSM) is part of ICCA's programming for this month, but also had the in order to mark the International Day of the Innocent Child Victim of Aggression and the National Day to Combat Abuse and Sexual Exploitation of Minors, celebrated on Sunday, June 4th.

Maria Rosa, mother and guardian present at the meeting, began by lamenting the absence of men at such a meeting, as she considered it to be “very interesting and informative”.

And based on the information shared, he defended that with the floor of the carriage it is necessary to change something, starting with relationships and education at home, reinforcing that parents, especially the mother, should value the creation of a relationship of trust with their children, so that they can trust them and vent any strange and abnormal situation that may happen, regardless of where it is.

“Society today is very different and often children who suffer abuse and sexual aggression do not count at home and look for colleagues from outside, or other people to tell and when they feel confident”, he indicated, maintaining that values have changed, but it is I need to work in this sector.

Likewise, it warns of the need to report cases and support the victims, stressing that if they do not have support they will grow with the trauma, emphasizing that it is always necessary to think about the good of the victims, regardless of whether the aggressor is a relative, be it a father, stepfather , uncle, or whoever.

Likewise, Maria Borges corroborates her colleague's opinion, maintaining that these situations and good habits should be cultivated at home and from an early age, since, in her opinion, it is not the school, society, nor the church, nor the ICCA, or another institution that has the mission of educating children in what is right or wrong, what should or should not be avoided.

From the information shared, he confessed that some he already had some knowledge of, but most were practically new, thus demonstrating the need for the community to always participate in events of the type and unite to combat this “scourge” that in Brava has caused “several victims”. .

Davidson Lopes, Deputy Director of Social Affairs and Citizenship Promotion at EBNSM, explained that the objective was to transmit some knowledge to parents and guardians, to alert them about some behaviors and changes in children and adolescents that often go unnoticed.

According to the parents, all parents need to be more attentive to their children, more open, be friends with their children and have quality time with them, alerting them to the issue of the internet and its consequences.

Society, on the other hand, asks not to “disguise” the cases, but rather to file complaints when there are cases of this type, not allowing and condoning any case of violence against children, regardless of its nature.

On behalf of the ICCA, psychologist Mileida Cabral, who focused on raising awareness among parents about sexual abuse and the consequences on the victims' lives, defended the need to work more on prevention, showing them the importance of talking to their children from early, to understand that the family is the base.

And speaking of the family, he said that they have to talk to their children from an early age about the body in order for them to know the intimate parts, where they should or should not be touched, about sexuality for the prevention of sexual abuse.

In 2022, he reported that 16 cases were reported and this year, so far, five have been registered.

The ICCA, according to the psychologist, has invested a lot in raising awareness, mainly in schools and kindergartens, but also with parents and guardians to bear in mind the warning signs that children show in order to be aware of the children.