"Let’s Prevent!" - Game of Primary Prevention of Sexual Abuse for Children

On the 28th of April took place the public presentation of the game - “Vamos Prevenir! As Aventuras do Búzio e da Coral” (in English, “Let’s Prevent! The Adventures of the Whelk and the Coral). This is a game of Primary Prevention of Sexual Abuse for Children between the ages of 6 and 10 years old, authored by the psychologists Rute Agulhas, Nicole Figueiredo and Joana Alexandres, reserachers at the ISCTE University.

The game, pioneer in Portugal, is recommended by several partners such as the Centre for Judiciary Studies (CEJ), the National Commission for the Protection of Children and Youngsters at Risk (CNCJR) and APAV. It also counts with the support of Alentejo Foundion, the School of the Alentejo Foundation and the “O Século” Foundation.

The presentation took place in Lisbon, at the Thalia Theatre, with about four hundred participants. Besides the authors, the session counted with the participation of Odete Severino (CNCJ), Paulo Guerra (CEJ), José Félix Duque (APAV) and Rita Jerónimo (ISCTE).

APAV’s representative, José Félix Duque, thanked the authors for the partnership invitation and stressed out the importance of the use of scientific instruments in the prevention of sexual abuse. José also noted APAV’s work on the support to children victims of sexual violence, with highlight to Project CORE, co-financed by the European Commission in 2002 and the recent establishment of the CARE Network, with the support of the Gulbenkian Foundation. It is also important to point out that part of the games’ sale profits reverts to APAV.