Desafios da cena contemporânea no contexto de Fortaleza/CE: avaliação da política pública municipal de enfrentamento ao abuso sexual indantil no âmbito da Rede Aquarela e o papel do (a) assistente social

Abstract

This work embodies a research project aimed at evaluating the Municipal Public Policy to Combat Child Sexual Abuse in Fortaleza, Ceará, focusing on the Aquarela Network. It addresses the dilemmas and challenges of this policy in the current context, highlighting the specific work of social workers within multidisciplinary teams. The specific objectives are to analyze the policy's context, content, and institutional trajectory; identify dilemmas and challenges based on documents and professional narratives; and reflect on the social worker's responsibilities within the policy. To this end, the study develops an In-Depth Assessment Methodology, which encompasses the analysis of the policy's context, content, institutional trajectory, and temporal and territorial scope. To facilitate this methodological perspective, a qualitative approach was adopted, involving bibliographical research, documentary research, and fieldwork conducted through semi-structured interviews with Aquarela Network managers and professionals, also gathering insights from professionals who contributed to the Network's development. Specifically, the Aquarela Network, formalized by Municipal Law No. 11,071/2020, is structured around four interdependent axes: Dissemination (prevention and training), Psychosocial Care, coordination with the Child and Adolescent Exploitation Department (DECECA), and dialogue with the 12th Children's Court. The results indicate strong alignment with regulatory frameworks such as the ECA (Children's Statute), Law No. 13,431/2017, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Henry Borel Law, highlighting guidelines such as comprehensive protection, qualified listening, and holding aggressors accountable. Among its strengths, the formalized structure, intersectoral action, and the ethical commitment of its teams stand out. Limitations include precarious employment relationships, a lack of human resources, weak coordination between sectors, and territorial limitations. The social worker emerges as a central figure in implementing the policy, both in family care and in network coordination and prevention. It is concluded that the policy is innovative and essential, requiring professional development, territorial expansion and addressing the structural roots of violence.