[Violence among youngsters: social dynamics and situations of vulnerability]

The purpose of this study is to analyze the social dynamics implied in the life of youngsters, victims of violence, by (re) constructing the day-to-day relations and, therefore, discussing vulnerability situations. It is a descriptive and exploratory study that uses the genogram and the ecomap as instruments for data collection. Interview was carried out with 23 young victims of these events in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Content analysis of the thematic type was adopted. From the social interactions of the surveyed youngsters, we observed the fragility of their relationship networks. Regarding the family environment, evidence shows that most of the youngsters come from families with precarious social and economic background. School education is recognized as a guarantee of social inclusion; however for some, the problems with state education and violence in and out of school collaborate for the decharacterization of the school as a protected and learning space. Learning the social dynamics implied in situations of vulnerability helps to understand this phenomenon and can influence prevention and promotion actions from health services.