Physical abuse of minors under 15: epidemiological study in a city in the south of Brazil

Revista Brasileira de Epidemiologia

Martins, Christine Baccarat de Godoy¹  Jorge, Maria Helena Prado de Mello² 

[1] Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso;Universidade de São Paulo

关键词: Violence;    Maltreatment;    Physical Aggression;    Physical Abuse;    Child;    Adolescent.;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S1415-790X2009000300004

学科分类：过敏症与临床免疫学

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

OBJECTIVES: to build the epidemiological profile of deliberate violence against minors under 15 years of age in Londrina, Paraná in 2006.
METHODS: cross-sectional study with retrospective data collected from the records of Tutelary Councils and care services in the city. Data were processed and tabulated with Epi Info software.
RESULTS: 479 cases of violence by use of physical force and 9 cases of violence by others means (7 by instruments, 1 by cutting object and 1 by corrosive substance) were studied. Most victims of physical force were female (53.4%) and the highest risk age was 6 (12.2 per 1,000). The father was the main aggressor (48.8%) and alcoholism was present in 64.0% of cases. Violence by instrument was inflicted with belt (42.9%), wire (28.6%), iron (14.3%), or kitchen tool (14.3%), mainly with 85.7% female victims in the 12 year-old age group (33.3%). Father (71.4%) and mother (28.6%) were the only aggressors, with alcoholism present in 57.1% of the situations. The victim of violence with a cutting device was a 13 year-old male, the aggressor was unknown and between 15 and 19 years of age. Violence by a corrosive substance victimized a male adolescent aged 13. The aggressor was the alcoholic father.
CONCLUSION: outcomes point toward the epidemiological importance of physical abuse of children and adolescents, and can contribute to structure strategies to prevent child abuse and follow-up victims.

【 授权许可】

CC BY