BETWEEN KNOWLEDGE AND ACTION

TEACHER INSECURITY IN THE FACE OF CHILD SEXUAL VIOLENCE

Abstract

This study analyzes public school educators' perceptions of sexual violence against children, focusing on their training, preparation, and performance. The descriptive and exploratory research adopted a quantitative-qualitative approach. The survey took place during training sessions on identifying signs and suspicions of sexual violence, the result of a partnership between CREAS and the Municipal Department of Education of Guaratinguetá, São Paulo. In June 2023, five meetings were held during collective working hours (HTPC), each lasting two hours, with the participation of 280 elementary school teachers. Two questionnaires were administered: the first with five closed questions and space for comments, and the second with one mixed question and another on a Likert scale. The analysis used descriptive statistics and content analysis, with categories emerging from the responses. The results indicate that 93.6% claim to understand the concept of sexual violence, but 54.3% do not feel prepared to deal with the issue. Despite this, 87.8% consider it relevant to address the topic in schools. Emotional difficulties, legal uncertainty, and lack of institutional support were highlighted. The conclusion is that there is an urgent need for continuing education, psychological support, the inclusion of sexuality education in the curriculum, and the strengthening of coordination between schools and the protection network.