This is a qualitative survey associated to the Extension and Education Project - "Frutos do Morro" "Programa Meninos do Rio" of Departamento de Medicina Preventiva e Social da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Minas Gerais - implemented in the Public Schools of the Urban Area of "Morro das Pedras", Belo Horizonte, MG focusing on the perception of violence by adolescents, the implication of violence and how the means of confronting violence are generated. We used Jürgen Habermans thesis- Colonization of the Life World - as a theoretical framework in which systemic imperatives, mediated by power and money replace sociability and solidarity bonds inherent to the interaction coordinated by linguistic communication. METHODOS: in 2005, 14 adolescents' focal groups were organized recruited from the Public Schools of the Urban Area, according to age, school, and class hours. RESULTS: violence takes on the role of mediator of intersubjective relations, either caused by the lack of options, luring or daily presence. Although violence has become natural there's an explicit desire to overcome it. Association to drug trafficking and use is constantly mentioned. Symbolic violence - discrimination - is intensely felt and seen as the cause of physical violence. Police violence is considered the most brutal and irrational. Family violence is present as well. CONCLUSIONS: adolescents from the Morro (the slum areas located on the hills) are strongly exposed to violence, don't see much alternatives to it, but preserved critical capacity and desire to change, are important elements to build adequate actions, supporting the work of the "Frutos do Morro" Projet, which is based on the creation of participation spaces and re-establishment of solidarity bonds.
Communicative action; Violence; Adolescence
