Narrative as a means of making sense of the experience with sexual abuse in childhood: an interactional perspective

Abstract

This research study, that derives from an applied linguistics perspective andis grounded on conversational analytical (Sacks, 1992; Sacks; Schegloff;Jefferson, 1974) and ethnomethodological methods (Garfi nkel, 1967),qualitatively analyzes interactions between a tutelary child protectioncounselor (“conselheiro tutelar”) and two children victims of sexualabuse. By undertaking the demand of trying to understand sexual abusein a more interdisciplinary way, research studies of the situated use oftalk-in-interaction and of the narrative practices of children victims ofsexual abuse might contribute to avoid the phenomenon of institutionalrevictimization (Cézar, 2007). During the demand of reconstructing theevent of abuse, it is possible to identify that the counselor orients himselfto a goal of producing a convincing report to the judiciary system (i.e.“Promotoria da Infância e da Juventude”; Public Ministry), leadingthe activity in such a way so as to produce evidences that he judges asnecessary. The narrative is, then, shaped according to the actions beingperformed in the interaction (i.e. to guarantee a restraining order andpunishment to the abuser). In particular, the data analysis shows thatthe counselor gets highly involved with the task of signifying the victim’sexperience with them, actualizing diverse interactional practices, amongwhich, the use of polar questions and the offer of specifi c lexical itens, inorder to describe the child’s feelings. The counselor’s engagement in thetask of signifying the experience ends up assuming a prescriptive value ofmeaning attribution to the experience of abuse and of identity performance of signifying the victims’ experiences, the counselor actualizes in talk-ininteractionthe moral values that permeate the judicial discourse, whichare also elements of socialization of the child on how to feel and talk aboutthe violence they have suffered. Studies such as the one proposed here– i.e. that investigate the interface of language use and sexual violence– might contribute to equalizing the dilemma generated by the need ofproducing narratives reportabled and valued by the judicial system withoutdepriving the victim’s right of agency in signifying their own experience.Furthermore, they might work as input for the professionals who act asinterlocutors to narratives of children victims of sexual abuse.