Talking with the family to prevent violence

Andréa Bescond became known with Tickling or the dance of anger, a show inspired by his life. Odette’s story is hers. A young girl who suffered sexual violence and then rebuilt herself as an adult by revealing her traumatic past. She has given nearly 400 performances in French-speaking countries, which enabled her to meet victims (2) who also suffered violence in their childhood. Men, women who sometimes broke for the first time the wall of silence to deliver their suffering. From the show was born a film, The Tickles, awarded two Césars in 2019. After this approach, how to act upstream to prevent these plagues, to protect children from them, without causing anxiety? Andréa Bescond launched a collection of three books “Playful and happy”, illustrated by Mathieu Tucker, and adapted to three age groups (children 3-6 years old, 7-10 years old and adolescents, from 11 years old). With the objective of initiating a dialogue on difficult subjects such as domestic violence, sexual assault, pornography or harassment, and complex notions such as consent or control. The author addresses the young reader, in a direct way, with simple words, to explain without frightening and to provide concrete solutions. “When we talk, we realize that the people around us can help us, suddenly we feel better”, said one of the characters. “It’s about informing children and empowering adults”, stresses Andréa Bescond. And to fight against the weight of secrecy which covers a reality that adults, sometimes in denial, do not want to see. A guilty silence which, denounces the author, “Render service to the aggressor”.

These little books are also intended for parents who hesitate to broach these subjects. “The more violent the society, the less we talk about it, she laments, it’s time to assume. Children have no taboos. “