Childhood and adolescent sexual abuse: Profile of the victims and aggressors in a county in the South of Brazil

Abstract

This descriptive and transversal study aims to better understand the characteristics of childhood and adolescent (up to 14 years of age) sexual abuse through analyzing cases registered in Tutelary Councils and care programs in Londrina, Paraná, Brazil in 2006. Data was collected from the records using a questionnaire and later analyzed for absolute and relative frequency and proportion. Of the 186 cases studied, the victims were predominantly female (74.2%) and the highest risk of incidence was at age 10 for girls (incidence coefficient 5 of 1000). Among aggressors, 97.3% were male; with the majority of abuses (52.7%) occurring in the victim's house and lasting for a period of less than 6 months (57.0%). Physical harm occurred in 90.3% of the victims and 97.8% presented physical and psychological sequelae. Childhood and adolescent sexual abuse constitutes a significant public health problem, besides the direct interface with police and judicial questions.