Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC): Revista Universitaria reviews the scourge of abuse: its manifestations, consequences and how to prevent it
Abuse is a phenomenon whose root is the asymmetry of power. A solid education is the best preparation to react to a risk of abuse and that is what has motivated us to expose its manifestations, consequences and how to prevent it, in a deep and rigorous way. In this way, it is proposed to generate an “education for freedom” that allows to notice these abuses and react with civic training.
Those who have been victims of abusive situations are vulnerable people and whose path of recovery is something that we must assume as a society. As the rector Ignacio Sánchez explains in the editorial: “At UC we are convinced that there is a need to understand the events that have happened, especially because of our mission of evangelization of culture and its public role, clearly demonstrated in this pandemic”.
A solid education is the best preparation to react to a risk of abuse and that is what has motivated us to expose its manifestations, consequences and how to prevent it, in a deep and rigorous way.
For his part, the dean of the Faculty of Education, Alejandro Carrasco, explains in his article “Education as the foundation of a society without abuse” that in order to delve into the prevention of this scourge, it is very necessary to promote appropriate training, with awareness of himself, capable of assimilating differences with respect to the other, of reinforcing the self-esteem of each one and his own conscience of himself.
In short, a teaching is needed to form free beings.
Regarding sexual abuse against minors, addressed in two articles, Rector Sánchez affirms: “ These are crimes that affect the most innocent, vulnerable and loved group of a society: its infants and young people . These crimes are outrageous, they are abominable and they are rejected outright, especially when the acts are the responsibility of priests, who through the exercise of their ministry abuse innocent children.”
In the dossier, a column by the academic Claudia Leal describes the work of the UC Commission for the analysis of the crisis of the Catholic Church in Chile, which in 2020 produced the document “Understanding the crisis of the Church in Chile” . This research is offered to the Church, to Chilean and Latin American society as a scientifically based report to contribute to the study of the phenomenon of sexual abuse of minors within the Church: “The work of the UC Commission becomes especially important, almost to our regret, because everything indicates that our country is still far from the possibility of creating a Truth and Reparation Commission that meets international standards of legitimacy”, affirms the academic.
The analysis and understanding of this scourge is essential to achieve progress in person-centered development in the face of the new scenario that we are experiencing after the social outbreak and the pandemic.
Likewise, as an example of the abuse of power in human relations with marked asymmetry, an interview is presented that recounts the abuse of conscience experienced by Francisco Prochaska – who was Fernando Karadima’s right-hand man for a long time . The article highlights the analysis of the strategies, the development of a vital trauma and a personal crisis, which has required professional and family support in which the hopeful rebirth of a new life emerges.
As a result of the crisis of trust and given the many cases of victims of abuse that have been known in the world, the concept of abuse of power arises as a subject of great debate at the country level. The analysis and understanding of this scourge is essential to achieve progress in person-centered development in the face of the new scenario that we are experiencing after the social outbreak and the pandemic.
Other topics in this issue
Among the stable sections of this issue of Revista Universitaria, the interviews with the 2021 National Prize for Plastic Arts, Francisco Gazitúa, and Amparo Cornejo, one of the first women to join the board of directors of the National Mining Society in its 136-year history, also stand out .
In fresh art , part of the works collected in the UC Editions book: Theater Posters are exhibited . Trajectory and visual tour of the Theater of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. This publication has just been distinguished with the 2021 Edition Award, granted by the Chilean Book Chamber.
In the Protagónicas(os) section, Mónica Jiménez de la Jara , social worker and master’s degree in Education, professor and director of the UC School of Social Work, member of the Rettig Commission, president of the Justice and Peace Commission, is presented. Rector of the UC of Temuco, Minister of Education and Ambassador of Chile to the Holy See and Israel. “Monica was above all a great person, who took freedom as one of her great virtues and characteristic features,” says the rector.