Insecurity can lead to prolonged mental damage caused by the pandemic.
Gisela Quinde was shocked by the news of the death of a child in the middle of a shootout between police and robbers in the Centenario neighborhood, south of Guayaquil, a few days ago. She has a 5-year-old son and indicates that it must be hard to assimilate the situation for the parents of the deceased infant.
“The fear that my son will be robbed and hurt makes me shudder just thinking about it,” he says. For this reason, he says, he has told his little Jeremías that if they are victims of criminals he should remain calm and “hold on to my leg as hard as he can, that he does not run anywhere. If there is a shooting I have told him to get down on the floor and find a place to cover him “.
Speaking clearly and simply to children and adolescents is crucial to keeping them healthy amid the crime wave that the country is experiencing, indicates psychologist Christian Arias.
“If, in itself, the average adult citizen is distressed by insecurity and we moderately manage to process it, since it is complex, then the psychological impact on children is greater,” he says.
He adds that parents must apply a child psychology technique called experience organization. That is, you have to explain what happens in an organized way.
Self-preparation is key to acting in risky situations such as a shootout or assault with shots, experts say
“For example, if a father, concerned about crime, tells his son that he cannot go out to play in the park, but does not explain why the child will burst into tears. Then, it must be said, clearly and simply, that for the moment you cannot leave because you live in a dangerous sector, describe what has happened. Even, explain what a state of exception is. This helps children process a little better everything that happens.”, dice.
Other risks for infants is growing up with that feeling of insecurity or mistrust on the outside and it is highly likely that damage to their mental health will be enhanced, which is already being hurt by the ravages of the pandemic, says psychologist Angélica Santillán.
The military are already in the streets of Guayaquil and other cities in Ecuador, after the declaration of the state of exception
“With so much risk in spaces where there is mobility and recreation, many parents will choose not to go out with their children or go out only when absolutely necessary. Cities like Guayaquil that do not have spaces where families can recreate quietly free of crime, it is highly probable that the confinement that was experienced last year as a result of the pandemic will be prolonged”, he says.
In fact, Gisela affirms that she does not let Jeremías go out to play with his friends in the afternoons as she did when she was the same age: “Motorcycles and cars go by stealing, it has become normal, it is nothing new. I know it’s not right, but we live in constant fear ”. To this he adds care such as not leaving the house at night and if he has to leave his cell phone, he does not carry much money, he does not wear jewelry, he takes reliable taxis and he tries not to take his son.
The week in which the child was killed in an ice cream parlor there were reports of an armed person, five robberies of citizens, three car robberies, one gunshot wound, in the Centenario circuit
For Arias there is a “great task” at the level of the educational system, since families must be accompanied by student counseling departments.
“For this that we live, it is necessary for the schools to talk about emotional intelligence, care and protection measures that at the time were done in the health context of the pandemic. How does a deregulated adult hold a distressed child? The adult must be calm, ”he says. (I)
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
