Margarita Ortiz-Tallo and her project against child abuse

Margarita Ortiz-Tallo talks about child sexual abuse and the "Corazonada" project.

Sexual abuse in childhoodAlthough it is not a very visible issue in society, it is a problem that exists. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in 4 women and one in 7 men admit to having suffered it. What is alarming is that only 3 out of 10 of those affected report it.

Unfortunately, there are some myths and erroneous beliefs that cause a distortion in the vision of this phenomenon, and to reject them is important to face the problem adjusting us to its real forms.

Interview with Margarita Ortiz-Tallo

Some psychology professionals have been sensitized and committed to sensitized and committed to the prevention of child abuse in childhood.The effects on the mental health of the victims are not only short term, but can accompany them for the rest of their lives.

The prevalence of child sexual abuse in Spain is 19% in females and 15.5% in males, and many of those affected never disclose the abuse, so they suffer this traumatic event in hiding.

Today we talk to Margarita Ortiz-Tallo, Professor at the Faculty of Psychology of the University of Malaga (Spain) to tell us about the Corazonada project focused on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse in Childhood.

What led you to work on this topic?

Our research team has a long history in issues related to maltreatment and sexual abuse. We have publications in international scientific journals with people convicted and imprisoned for pedophilia and also with people convicted for partner aggression. We had been considering for some time the importance of broadening our perspective and carrying out psychological interventions to prevent these issues.

We began with evaluations and publications on adolescents and sexism. In this scenario we were very interested in carrying out a preventive program on sexual abuse in childhood. It seemed to us of great interest to provide resources to children, parents and teachers in the face of this terrible type of psychological, physical and sexual abuse that is, in a high proportion, hidden in society.

What does the Corazonada project consist of?

The project stands out because it includes the adaptation of the play "Corazonada" in Spain. The play was designed by Carolina López Alvarado, director of the CENDES Foundation in Mexico. It tries to reach children in an experiential way through an artistic language with music, dance and imagination. In this way, resources are given to children and educators transmitting the information in a way that reaches the intuition, the reason and the heart.

The project also includes the design by our team of workshops for children, parents and teachers through active and participatory methodologies. And finally the evaluation of the program and its social impact.

How did the project come about?

Because of our profession we are highly sensitized and very committed to contribute something to society to help in the prevention of this tremendous problem. Our experience has also led us to believe that any information that is transmitted in an active, experiential and participatory way gets the message across in a deeper way.

During a stay at the Autonomous University of Mexico we learned about the Corazonada project. This began in Mexico in 2015. Country with a high rate of sexual abuse in childhood. Subsequently we established agreements with the author to adapt a part of the project in Spain.

Recently as a research group of the University of Malaga the project was selected to achieve Crowdfunding through the Crowdfunding platform GOTEO.

What impact do you think this project can have in Spain?

We believe that it is a project of enormous social interest and our wish is that it can have a significant impact on the initial detection and prevention of this terrible abuse. We are convinced that undertaking projects of this type and publicizing them already helps to raise society's awareness of the issue.

When does the play "Corazonada" premiere?

The opening day of the Spanish adaptation of "Corazonada" is Monday, November 5 at the Edgar Neville Auditorium of the Diputación de Málaga, by invitation only. After that day, the play will also be performed on November 12 and Tuesday 27 of the same month, although tickets are only available for the latter date.

Prevention of child abuse

Undoubtedly, the work of psychologists and educators is key to prevent and detect in time this phenomenon, which can appear in multiple environments. In fact, data show that 30% of those affected were victims of a family member, 60% of an acquaintance and in only 10% of cases, the victim and the attacker had no link.

If you want to know more about the prevention of child abuse, you may be interested in reading this article: "How to prevent child sexual abuse".