Objective

To describe the perception of violence in schoolchildren of two schools of the borough of Kennedy, Bogotá.

Methods

Participatory action research (PAR) and qualitative study. The participants in these focus groups were chosen randomly, 5 students per course, for a total of 15 focus groups and 75 students included, prior informed consent from parents and students. Ethical aspects were taken into account.

Results

61 participants, 30 boys (49.1%) and 31 girls (50.8%), were included in the study, with an age range between 5 and 12 years. 10 participants (16.3%) were kindergarten students, 3 were first-grade students (4.9%), 10 second-grade students (16.3%), 18 third-grade students (29.5%), 10 fourth-grade students (16.3%), and 10 fifth-grade students (16.3%). The socioeconomic status of the children was ranked as 1 and 2. The results are presented in four categories: causes, problems, consequences and solutions, from which 8 subcategories emerged; they describe the perception that children have about violence at home and schools, highlighting physical and verbal domestic violence, the use of psychoactive substances and sexual abuse.

Conclusion

There is evidence in the school population of the borough of Kennedy that violence is a public health problem established in homes and in schools. The origin of this violence is mainly children's homes, therefore, it is important to build and generate proposals for intervention based on the solutions raised by the children themselves regarding the structural and family levels.