Representações sociais sobre o abuso sexual infantojuvenil: um estudo com juízes e profissionais psicossociais

Abstract

Childhood and adolescent sexual abuse is defined as the event in which the child or adolescent is used for obtaining sexual satisfaction from an adult or an older adolescent. Despite several studies and the creation of legal instruments for protecting children from violence, there are still many gaps when it comes to actions aimed at childhood and adolescent sexual abuse, which forfeits how to deal with the situation. The gaps observed are mainly on theoretical and practical levels, based on the perception of the phenomenon by both legal and psychosocial professionals as well as the application of existing public policies. Thus, the present study aims at knowing and analyzing the social representations that judges and psychosocial professionals have about childhood and adolescent sexual abuse, given that they directly deal with the solution of innumerable legal situations, having their practices influenced by the representations they have on the subject area. As theoretical support, we used Social Representations Theory in the perspective of the structural and dimensional approach, which allows elucidation of the knowledge coming from the common sense with the scientific knowledge on the subject. This is a qualitative, quantitative and descriptive field research carried out in legal institutions in the city of João Pessoa / PB. The sample consisted of thirty-one male and female professionals, from which twelve were judges (first and second instance) and nineteen were psychosocial professionals (psychologists and social workers) who work or have worked with cases of sexual abuse against children or adolescents. We used four instruments of research to achieve our aims: a sociodemographic questionnaire, which was analyzed through frequency and percentage calculations; the Association Technique, with "sexual abuse of children and adolescents" stimulus, in which the prototypical analysis and similitude analysis were performed with the help of IRAMUTEQ; the semi-structured interview, which was analyzed through lexicographic analysis with IRAMUTEQ; and the Sexual Abuse Attitude and Beliefs Scale that was analyzed with SPSS. We found that the professionals who participated in this study grasped the phenomenon as an act of violence and aggression committed mainly in the family environment against vulnerable children/adolescents, causing profound consequences for the victims. In addition, they have the representation that the abuser is a sick person, insensitive and with acts that differ from what is socially acceptable to the human being. We also verified that testimony without damage is a controversial methodology in the researched environment, but it was a common understanding that professionals need to be prepared for the use of the technique as well as a suitable environment and material. The applicability of Social Representations Theory is essential for the dissemination of scientific knowledge through the insertion of new objects of knowledge for professionals who deal with the subject matter. In view of the results found, it was verified that those who work with the theme grasp the phenomenon and its consequences, but they need the capacity to act upon the cases. With this research, we expect to provide the basis for an adequate implementation of public policies, with an impact on the prevention of damages to the victims.