ABOUT 33% OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO CALL US ASK FOR EMOTIONAL CONTAINMENT

We present the most frequent calls for help made by young people through our Safety Line and Trustworthy Chat 55 5533-5533 during the contingency due to COVID-19.

Within the framework of World Youth Day –on August 12^th– the Citizen Council informed that since February 28^th, the date when the first case of COVID-19 was detected in Mexico, they have offered support to 4 thousand 529 youngsters ages 18 to 25.

Through the Safety Line and Trustworthy Chat 55 5533 5533 they have aided 24/7 young people to go through the contingency caused by COVID-19 thanks to free services of emotional containment and legal counseling.

“Young people face a challenge: to adapt to the new normality that includes a new way of studying and relating with each other. This change has not been easy for them, that’s why the Citizen Council helps them through services that contribute to their personal, family, academic and community development,” Salvador Guerrero Chipres, President of the Citizen Council, expressed.

Among the most frequently required services we find: suicide prevention, counseling against violence in relationships, prevention of digital crimes such as sextortion and fraud; emotional support and safe diversity for the LGBTTIQ population.

Most attentions (33 percent) correspond to psychological support to confront problems with their partner, their family, a feeling of loneliness, low self-esteem; and emotional consequences due to isolation including anxiety or depression.

Counseling against extortion and fraud, particularly especially when selling and buying things on the internet, add up 20% of calls.

Suicide prevention takes 13% while reports against animal mistreatment made by young people represent 11% of attentions given.

Legal counseling related with topics such as sextortion occupies 10% of these attentions, and the smallest percentage is occupied by family violence episodes and services related with COVID.

The remaining percentage is divided between attentions for criminal activity, emergencies (transferred to 911), reports before the Public Ministry, attention to addictions, among others.

Around 63 percent of young people who have called the Council during this people are women and 36 percent are men; most of the interactions (53 percent) were made through the Safety Line and 42 percent through the Trustworthy Chat.

Although 40 percent of attentions were given to young people in Mexico City, the Council has aided people from the 31 entities as well as from countries such as: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, el Salvador, United States, Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru, Panama and Venezuela.

Finally, the Citizen Council reminded that all services are free, they are available 24/7, and in cases of psychological aid, apart from offering phone services, young people can access virtual or in-person therapies at the Emotional Recovery Center located at Amberes 54 and at Luis Hidalgo Monroy 100, Barrio San Pablo, Iztapalapa.