PROFILE OF THE AGGRESSORS AND THE CHILDREN AND THE ADOLESCENTS VICTIMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE.

Abstract

Sexual violence is a devastating situation in childhood and adolescence. Social inequality contributes to the occurrence of interpersonal violence, although it occurs in all social levels. The biggest abusers tend to be people of close relationship to the victims. Violence may occur by penetration, oral sex, genital manipulation, exhibitionism, among others. It may be recurrent and alter victims’ personality and sexuality development. Diseases, pregnancy, aggressiveness and suicide may also be some of the consequences. The objective of this research was to obtain profiles of aggressors and children and adolescents victims of sexual violence treated at the Pediatric Emergency Department, HC, at FMB - UNESP from 2005 to 2008. The results showed that 78.7% were females around 9 years old; 33.44% lived with their mother and father; the average period between the beginning of the abuse and the reporting was 1 year in 18.5% of cases; the children, themselves reported in 44.9% of the cases; in 55.6% there were recurrences; more than one type of violence was reported in 27%; 85.6% of agressors were known by the child or the family; 28.7% were relatives, mostly fathers in 12.5% and cousins in 5.55%; and of 71.3% of non-relatives, 14.83% were stepfathers and 14.83% were neighbors; 73.9% of cases occurred in the child's or the abuser’s home; 66% occurred by intimidation, with the use of force and threats, and 2.8% with a gun; in 36.6% of cases, there was penetration, and in 46.3% manipulation; only anal intercourse occurred in 13.9%, only vaginal in 44.9% and only oral sex in 3.74%; 43% showed some psychic symptom; 24.3% received medication against STD. Out of the 50 families showing the most serious situations among 216 patients (23.15%), only 2% returned for the final appointment, and as to the others, attempts to contact them by phone or at the address provided showed that there had been a change of street, neighborhood, or city. Some of the telephone numbers simply did not exist and did not allow us to construct this result. This fact leads us to wonder whether it was only a coincidence or a way of hiding themselves. Victims and aggressors, in most cases, live in environments where proximity enables the occurrence of violence, and related factors vary little in different populations where this type of crime is investigated. The act creates permanent marks, whether biological or psychological. This study will be extended for the years 2009 and 2010 and the cases will be followed in their judicial trials in order to learn how aggressors were sentenced and to have a broader view that allows for more efficient measures