Concepções sobre adolescentes em situação de violência sexual

Abstract

This is a field research for qualitative approach aiming to understand the discursive practices of health professionals on sexual violence against children and adolescents. Ten professionals (doctors, nurses, community workers and program coordinator) that make up three teams from the city of Montes Claros, MG, Brazil's Family Health Strategy (FHS) were interviewed. The discursive approach to data analysis was based on Michel Foucault, as well as authors linked to the field of Public Health. The results indicate that, among the various factors which provide and/or maintain the sexual violence in form of commercial sexual exploitation of adolescents, are the economic and social inequality, coupled with gender inequality, little recognized by professionals. Omission/denial of the issue is evidenced by the absence of mandatory reporting; lack of preventive work in the area; specific actions inadequate to the needs of adolescence, prejudice and lack of reference to a network of intersectoral care.