Situations of Domestic Violence against Children and Adolescents in a Northeastern Brazilian Capital

Abstract

Abstract Objective: To describe the epidemiological profile of children and adolescents who are victims of domestic violence. Method: This is a cross sectional and descriptive study, following a quantitative approach, conducted from September to December 2013, at the SOS CHILD service, in the city of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The research protocol was approved by CEP/UFRN under CAAE 0166.0.051.000-11. Results: In the analysis of 69 children, the results were presented from three points of view: 1) the victim-female (56.5%), aged one to 11 years old (66.7%) and lived with one of the parents (43.5%); 2) the abuser-female (60.9%) in the 14 -23 years old and 34 -43 years old, with the same percentage (24.6%), history of alcohol use and abuse (42.0%), the mother was the one who attacked the most (34.7%); 3) types of violence, among the physical ones, the most frequent were slaps (43.2%) and punches (18.9%); the prevalence, among the psychological violence, were curses (35.4%) and abuse (27.8%); negligence, omission of care (73.5%), deprivation of care for personal appearance (18.4%); among sexual violence: sexual caresses (57.1%) and forced sex (42.9%). Conclusion: Children and adolescents placed in an unfavorable social-economic context, under the care of mothers with a history of use and abuse of alcohol and other drugs, are more vulnerable to intra-domiciliary violence