Strategies by Educators within the School Setting to Prevent and Cope with the Experience of Domestic Violence by Adolescents

Abstract

Objective: This work sought to identify, in the discourse of educators, which strategies they can implement, within the school setting, to prevent and cope with the experience of domestic violence by adolescents. Method: Qualitative study based on the critical-liberating perspective of Paulo Freire, conducted with 20 educators from a public school in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. To collect the data, the interview was used and, to systematize them, the discourse of the collective subject. Results: The discourses reveal the following coping strategies of domestic violence experienced by adolescents: place into action the Guardianship Council; create reception and listening spaces for students; strengthen bonds between the school and family; promote educational actions, and articulate knowledge. Conclusions: The study provides paths to prevent and confront family abuses that compromise the physical and mental health of children and adolescents, with impact upon school performance. The study suggests the contribution of primary health care through actions linked to the Health in School Program and the insertion of the theme of violence in the different university careers, given that caring for children and adolescents and defending them constitutes an obligation for all citizens.