Webinar on the Prevention of manifestations of violence in girls and  teenagers. 

On March 8, 2021, within the framework of the Commemoration of International Women’s Day, FUSALMO El Salvador had the honor of holding a webinar with our guest, the specialist and Family Therapist Yeni Hércules who resides in Los Angeles, California. 

Yeni Hércules spoke about how to prevent different types of abuse and how to identify signs of violence in our girls and adolescents. 

“Violence is the use of physical force or power, negligence, physical abuse, sexual abuse and psychological abuse,” he commented, also mentioning that psychological abuse is the most difficult to resolve when it comes to providing treatment, since adolescents who suffer this type of abuse sometimes do not realize that they suffer it, because they do not have the clear signs and this is more difficult to understand. Regarding sexual abuse, the Therapist said that it does not always have to be physical, with a compliment or profanity is enough to commit or receive this type of abuse. 

It is continued mentioning some signs or manifestations of abuse in girls and adolescents, among the signs of abuse in girls are: poor academic performance, nightmares at night, mood swings, fear of people or places, insecurity. Signs of teen abuse include depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts or attempts, drug and alcohol abuse, compulsive eating, and promiscuity. 

The guest attached great importance to knowing how to act in a situation of abuse of any kind as parents, and he emphasized doing things with love, from there comes having a lot of patience and being able to listen to children in order to provide them with emotional support. 

In the year 2020 in El Salvador, there were 12,781 pregnant girls and  teenagers  between January and December, of these 494 are girls from 10 to 12 years old and 2,287 are adolescents from 15 to 19 years old. 35 cases registered by the Ministry of Health every day.