Mexican Psychologist Julia Borbolla: A Leading Figure in the Fight Against Child Abuse

Her project, “Shield of Dignity,” celebrates 20 years empowering children and training educators and others who protect children

“I have been working with children and adolescents since I graduated,” said Dr. Julia Borbolla when asked about her motivation to address and fight child abuse more than four decades ago. A Psychology graduate from Universidad Iberoamericana, Borbolla is internationally renowned for her work, especially for “Antenas” (Antennas), a tool she developed in her practice where an animated character interacts with children, who often confide in the character about abuse they’ve endured.

“(Children) would never come in specifically for abuse issues, but during their interaction with the character, they would reveal it,” Borbolla shared about this project, which has been implemented in several prosecutor’s offices across Mexico.

Alongside “Antenas” and with the ongoing mission to combat child abuse and maltreatment in Mexico, Dr. Borbolla created “Shield of Dignity,” a project now marking its 20th anniversary.

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“Our primary goal here is to empower the child. […] Then we talk about ‘trastadas.’ I adopted this term because in Spanish, a ‘trastada’ can range from something minor, like stealing, to something as serious as fraud. This term allows the child to define the severity,” explained the psychologist, who specializes in child abuse.

Within the “Shield of Dignity” framework, Borbolla identifies five types of “trastadas”: verbal offenses, hitting, inappropriate touching or exposure of intimate parts, coercion, and discomfort, with the latter addressing the digital world children increasingly encounter.

However, “Shield of Dignity” not only benefits children; it is also aimed at educators and guardians of children.

“I certify teachers, social workers, psychologists, and even doctors. We train them, provide materials, and establish a one-year agreement for them to implement the Shield of Dignity,” emphasized Borbolla.

Over the past two decades, the project has certified more than 12,000 people and impacted over 1.8 million children. “It’s a huge accomplishment, and I’m incredibly proud, but the credit truly goes to all those who have joined to be ambassadors for the Shield of Dignity,” said Borbolla.

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of “Shield of Dignity,” Borbolla highlighted an update to the platform. “Now, I want us to adapt, because children from 20 years ago are not the same as those today.” She also noted that with this new version, “we’ll have more data to help shape public policy.”

When faced with a case of child sexual abuse, Borbolla underscores the importance of establishing an emotional connection to build the child’s trust.

As a second piece of advice, she recommends that “if a child shares something suspicious with you,” try to “hide your surprise,” as showing it might prevent the child from opening up further.

Nota publicada originalmente en El Heraldo de México

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