Although it is widely publicised because of the scandals in the Church, the issue of abuse touches on the different realities in which we live, whether or not they are directly connected to ecclesial life. Abuses of power also occur in labour and educational institutions. In this sense, this is a problem that should worry all those who have management responsibilities, whether they are ecclesial, educational or in some way related to management or coordination positions in institutions. One of the dimensions of the abusive dynamics that is least worked on is the marked recourse to omission and silence. Ignoring the problem seems to be an easy and recurrent option, but one that perpetuates a culture of abuse. Aware of this reality, the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences (UCP) is proposing a training week (25 hours) in which the problem of abuse will be analysed by international and national researchers who have dedicated part of their studies to critically reflecting on the culture of abuse with a view to transforming it into a culture of care.
 

Recipients
 

Academic community, teachers, parish and diocesan leaders, general public.

Objectives
 

• Raise awareness of the presence of a culture of abuse and the need to replace it with a culture of care;
• Understand what abuse is and how abusive dynamics occur in communities;
• To analyse the role of authority in institutions and the potential dangers of abuse, as well as how to combat it;
• Understand the role of silences and omissions in the relationship between victims and victimisers;
• Reflect on the psychological, theological and philosophical consequences of the global abuse crisis;
• Encourage hope for a proactive attitude capable of generating a culture of care.

Programme contents
 

1. Approaching the complexity of abusive dynamics | 1.5h
2. The problem of authority and power in traditions and communities | 1.5h
3. The role of silence in victims and victimisers | 1.5h
4. The contribution of protection and care services to breaking the silence | 1.5h
5. The role of narratives in abusive dynamics | 1.5h
6. The intergenerational transmission of relational dependency dynamics: the emergence of community dynamics | 1.5h
7. Abuse by a few, collusion by many | 1.5h
8. Theological and ecclesial consequences of the global abuse crisis | 1.5h
9. The Power of the Word | 1.5h
10. The Power of Action | 1.5h
11. Autonomous work | 10h​​

Frequency conditions

Only for teachers enrolled in the training
 

Teaching is face-to-face. Attendance will be monitored by means of an attendance register. Trainees who miss more than a third of the scheduled hours or show insufficient participation will be excluded.

Evaluation

Only for teachers enrolled in the training
 

Assessment will consist of writing a reflective report or analysing a practical case. A quantitative mark will be awarded on a scale of 1 to 10 in accordance with CCPFC Circular 3/2007 of September.

At the end of the training, trainees will be asked to complete a survey evaluating the trainers, the contents and strategies of the course, as well as the evaluation process. They will also be able to suggest topics for future training activities within the area of the course.