Violencia Sexual Infantil y su Impacto en el Desarrollo Social de los Niños de la Fundación Shekinah.

Abstract

The project titled “Child Sexual Violence and Its Impact on the Social Development of the Children of the Shekinah Foundation” had the general objective of determining how child sexual violence affects the social development of the children of said foundation in Manta during the year 2023. The problem addressed by this research lies in the high incidence of child sexual abuse and its devastating psychological, emotional, and social consequences on the victims, especially in family environments where the aggressor is a trusted person. The a pplied methodology was qualitative, using the phenomenological method to delve into the experiences lived by the affected children. Interviews were conducted with key informants, such as social workers and psychologists from the foundation, to collect data and perform triangulation that ensured the validity of the results. The findings revealed that child sexual violence severely affects children's ability to interact socially, form healthy relationships, and maintain good academic performance. The results also showed that children who are victims of sexual abuse present high levels of anxiety, depression, and other emotional disorders that hinder their social and emotional development. The conclusions highlighted the need to protect the rights of this priority group, implement psychosocial and educational support programs, strengthen the training of social workers, and promote awareness campaigns on the prevention of sexual abuse in the community. These strategies are essential to improve the quality of life and overall well -being of children affected by sexual violence.