Breaking the silence: ten faces, ten voices
"Breaking the silence: ten faces, ten voices". These are the faces and the voices of ten witnesses who, from different environments and calling on their intimate and personal experience, explain the work that is being developed for prevention and protection from school abuse in the Marist educational system of the Province of L'Hermitage.
On Tuesday April 9 a book was put on sale in the Claret bookstore, Barcelona in the presence of the authors, Imma Amadeo and Jordi Martínez, and two of the "voices" who gave testimony in the book: Brother Gabriel-Villa Real, vice-provincial of the Province of L'Hermitage, and Pepa González, social educator of Center Obert Rialles and present Defender of Citizenship in Santa Coloma of Gramenet.
Among those present, were members of other institutions and congregations and it highlighted the presence of Marcel·lí Joan, General Director of Religious Matters attending on behalf of the presidency of the Generalitat.
The vice-provincial, Brother Gabriel Villa-Real, explained that to participate in the book had meant a time of personal learning, a time of many questions and he recognized that we are "still on the road" and that the protocols that we have in place are there to deal with a "change of culture to learn how to detect the warning signs and to recognize situations of abuse". On the other hand, Pepa González said that she was grateful to be able to be working so closely with the children and young people inside the Marist Institute, asking for more formation for the educators and students, and also for more tools "for the children, so that they can denounce the acts that hurt" them.
Imma Amadeo pointed out that the book shows the concrete experience of ten people, but that she must not lose sight of the fact that these people are "representatives of thousands and thousands of voices in the Marist Institute working to protect the children and young people for the defence of their rights". On the other hand, Jordi Martínez explained that the book fills a void, "the point lacking from white black and colour and, because it clarifies the view that the institution today must prevent child sexual abuse and protect the children and young people faced by this social problem. "
The four participants sent out a final message "involving society, because we are facing a serious social problem that we cannot approach alone". A social problem because we are "dealing with victims, people who have suffered and continue to suffer and we have to be able to assist them and accompany them to the best of our ability."
"Breaking the silence: ten faces, ten voices" is already on sale. Very soon copies will also be available in Lleida (April 29), in Gerona and in Madrid on dates still to be determined.