Marists of Catalonia and Edelvives project to prevent sexual abuse in childhood and adolescence
On January 19, the Marists of Catalonia and the Edelvives Foundation of the Province of L’Hermitage presented the project “Romper el Silencio” (Breaking the Silence), an educational material to raise awareness among children and young people about sexual abuse and prevent them from being abused. The project was exhibited at the Palau Macaya in Barcelona, with the participation of more than 100 people working in the field of childhood.
B. Gabriel Villa-Real, Provincial of L’Hermitage, expressed his satisfaction at opening this project to the Society, in favor of empowering children and young people through the advocacy of their rights. He contextualized the process of the change of culture that we are experiencing as an institution and as a society in the face of sexual abuse.
Javier Cendoya, general director of Edelvives Group, remarked that the development and sharing of these materials by the Marists and Baula “is an exercise of commitment, coherence, and courage “.
Representing the Marists, Llorenç Claramunt, director of the Marist Educational Works in Catalonia and member of the Child Protection Team, pointed out that all the materials of the project were developed from a work commissioned by the Marist Institute, in 2011, to protect children. And since 2013, the educational staff of the Marist Province has been trained in this area.
Ester Cabanes, general director of Child and Adolescent Care of Catalonia, pointed out that this material “will help children not to suffer sexual abuse and will empower them to know what is right and wrong, and to express themselves and identify whom they can ask for help if they need it”.
The event was also attended by two high school students from Maristas Sants-Les Corts (Bartomeu TortellĂ and Siyi Cheng), who participated in the tutorials and worked first-hand with the materials.
” Breaking the silence “
The “Romper el silencio” project incorporates tools for educators to work with boys and girls in the protection and prevention of possible risk behaviors. It also proposes how to report and/or denounce any situation in which they may find themselves the materials can be incorporated into any campaign organized in schools, social works, leisure movements, sports clubs, or organizations and institutions working with children and young people in the prevention of sexual abuse.
The material consists of thirty-four sessions: six in Early Childhood Education, fifteen in Primary Education, eight in Secondary Education, and four in Baccalaureate, designed to work on the prevention of sexual abuse of children and young people. The material will be available online through a license, just like any other digital book, on the bauladigital.cat platform.