Child and adolescent victims of sexual violence: aspects of physical and emotional development

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: to identify the multidisciplinary health team’s perception on aspects of the physical and emotional development of children and adolescents who have suffered sexual violence. Methods: a qualitative study, carried out with 30 health professionals in a hospital in Bahia, Brazil, between June and July 2019. Data were collected from an interview guided by a semi-structured questionnaire. The results were interpreted according to Symbolic Interactionism. Results: some sexually violated children were under five years old and healthy, others had physical/mental disabilities. Victimized adolescents were in the pre-pubertal phase, with fragile body structure, not emotionally mature and unaware of sexuality. Final considerations: children’s physical and emotional aspects make children vulnerable to sexual victimization, as they facilitate the control and dominion that offenders need to have over them. As a protection strategy, it is recommended using sexual and health education linked to greater surveillance of family members, multidisciplinary team and educators.

Keywords

• Child
• Adolescent
• Child Abuse
• Sexual
• Child Development
• Adolescent Development