What do I have to do with that? Life-lesson on violence against children and adolescents

Abstract

Violence constituted is the most important cause of death among children 5-19 year of age. This phenomenon has called the health professionals attention attempted to violence issues in the health context and the inclusion, in the professional curriculum, of a comprehensive approach to the various determinants involved. The objective of this paper is to report an experience of the students of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte in a classroom  activities. The activity was based on the pedagogical practice of reflexive action. The experience comprised the integration of the theoretical and practical contents, with the social, political and economic issues, seeking to stimulate the students critical-reflexive thinking. The class contents was conducted in  three stages: development of student awareness of the problem;  presentation and discussion of the theoretical, scientific and legal framework; discovery and discussion of the reality experienced by health professionals who act in violence situations in the service units. The three class moments enabled us to promote the concern and discussion needed for the student to think about violence, its complexity, multi-causality and the discrimination involved.