Abstract

MARTINS, Christine Baccarat de Godoy  and  JORGE, Maria Helena Prado de Mello. Violence against children and adolescents: epidemiological information based on cases reported to Juvenile Courts and Child Protective Services in a municipality in the South of Brazil, 2002 and 2006. Epidemiol. Serv. Saúde [online]. 2009, vol.18, n.4, pp.315-334. ISSN 1679-4974.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5123/S1679-49742009000400002.

In this study we have built epidemiological features of violence against minors under 15 years of age who live in Londrina, State of Parana, Brazil based on all cases reported to the local Juvenile Courts and Child Protective Services in 2002 and 2006. We have analyzed 607 cases reported in 2002 and 1,013 cases reported in 2006. Violence has mainly occurred in the victim's own house and for about one or two years prior to the report. Physical abuse was prevalent (52.9% in 2002 and 48.2% in 2006). By comparing the two years of the study, there was an increase in the incidence of all sorts of violence and reoccurrence of violence in 172 cases (10.6%). Although all reports from both years were analyzed, it was a cross-sectional study and its characteristics can be modified when interventions are implemented. The growing incidence from 2002 to 2006 point at the importance of investments, both in prevention and information improvement.

Keywords : external causes; violence; aggression; maltreatment; childhood; adolescence.

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