Resilience and trauma in life trajectories of three generations of women from Coque, Recife-PE
Resilience, trauma, woman, outskirts, generation
Resilience can be understood as an intersubjective process, related to the ability to resume development after encountering traumatic situations. The trauma (or traumatic situation) is the external impact that disturbs the psychic universe, while traumatism is its internal representation and consequence. Resilience is assumed as an instrument to understand experiences of women from the outskirts in a non-deterministic way, without denying the adversities, but looking at the construction of perspectives to face social inconsistencies. Thus, this study aimed to understand how trauma and resilience permeate the life trajectory of three generations of women in the community of Coque, Recife-PE. This qualitative research was based on Transpersonal Psychology, and on its Organic Research approach. The participants were 9 women who live in Coque: 3 grandmothers, 3 mothers and 2 daughters, from 3 different families. Research diary and narrative interview were used. The analysis was based on hermeneutics. In generation 1, the traumas were related to diverse violence, and resilience to spirituality, work and family and community relations. In generation 2, family relationships were the basis for trauma and resilience. Violence was also mentioned in the field of trauma. Resilience was told to be also grounded in community relations and spirituality. In generation 3, the traumas were related to gender violence, prejudice and bullying, while resilience was based on political awareness and practice, family and friendship. In all generations, Coque is undertaken by its violence, but also by its potentialities, based on relationships, especially among women. An integral understanding of the resilient process in outskirts women is proposed, considering that the results point to a subjective, relational, social, cultural and spiritual construction.