Adolescent violence represents a severe public health problem. Adolescents between 10 and 19 years old can get involved in violent acts as victims as well as perpetrators.

Get to know the senses and meanings attributed to violence from the perspective of adolescent participants in a health promotion and education group.

Enhance the understanding of the adolescent violence phenomenon.

A qualitative and descriptive experience report was carried out at the Child and Adolescent Care Center in the interior of São Paulo State – Brazil. The 15 study subjects participated in weekly group meetings taking between one and two hours, during which the brainstorming creativity technique was used.

According to the adolescent participants, violence means everything that causes pain, suffering and is related with physical aggressions, discussions, rape, scolding and humiliation, pedophilia and violent movies on television. They denoted special concern with physical violence between couples and siblings and with songs that defile mainly the feminine image.

Group activities that allow adolescents to reflect can enhance a more critical awareness of themes like violence. They can also stimulate the search for actions to improve the reality these subjects are inserted in.