Born Girl in Macondo: Stolen Childhood

Abstract

This research is focused on the case of the study of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) to girls between 8-12 years old in the context of a Centro American island. Through this, I pretend to assume the women and girls´ s voices, who had participated in this study and whom I had the opportunity to meet during my fieldwork in the island. For that reason, my purpose is to make the violence against the girls and the situations in which they have to coexist visible. All of it from the view of a patriarchal society ruled by a masculine system of domination. For that purpose, I have focused the theoretical framework that supports the construction of my study from a gender perspective. In this way, on the one hand, my study looks to question the adult-centered and patriarchal view that is imposed on childhood, and children, as passive and dependent subjects. On the other hand, it looks to recognize child sexual violence as a form of domination and abuse of male power, so that this reality can be changed. Consequently, in this study I try to respond how and in what way I have accomplished the research, referring to various issues; the first is related to field access and, in this sense I address how this field access has been in Macondo. Secondly, I have focused on the anthropological ethnographic approach through the interpretation of the information captured during the investigative process through the field diary. Finally, I have focused on the investigation techniques used during the course of the research, which are: the participant observation, the interview, the group discussion and the photographic technique. Therefore, based on the information retrieved through different methodological techniques used, and taking into account the objective of my research, I have presented five sections according to the main themes to be analyzed, that make up the research. These five sections are: the stigmas – researching how they revert on the girls, their families and on the association responsible of these cases-, the impact of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) – considering how it relapses on the “cuerpas” (female bodies), the role that the desire plays, the power and violation as a sexualized act, and at the same, the intersectionality as the main fact that predetermine this violence- the intervention in light of CSA´s cases – on the part of the government, and on the part of the victims’ families and the society- the pre-maternity – considering the affective cross-generational relationships, the health care and medical attention, the lack of responsibility on the part of the boys (“chavalos” ), the abortion and the pregnancies provoked by CSA- and finally, the intercourse– looking at the initiation knowledge and contraceptive methods. Thereupon, I reveal a series of conclusive statements that are the result of the process of analysis of the research. Finally, I have considered the Research Ethics in my study, where human beings are involved. In this manner, honesty and truth have been of vital character. To this effect, I have supported in the principles of the Belmont report (1979): the principle of Respect, the principle of Benefit and the principle of Justice. Thus, due to this study is focused on childhood, I have opted to apply these ethical principles incorporated to the ERIC project (Research Involving Children).