Sexuality: from risk to danger in children and adolescents, a retrospective views of victims in Portugal

Abstract

Sexual violence against children and young people has been identified as a public health problem. Sexual abuse is a crime of difficult notification, often underestimated. The victims willing to report the details of the abusive situation are still very scarce (Cardoso Caniço, 2015). Only an informed society will be able to recognize and report abusive situations as well as to prevent them by controlling risk factors. Goal: Identify and analyze cases of sexual violence in children and adolescents in Portugal in the last five years. Methodology: This is a retrospective study, based on data on sexual violence in Portugal in children and adolescents, reported and recorded between 2014 and 2019, in the APAV and DGS reports. Results: In the last five years, there has been a significant increase in crimes of sexual abuse (with the exception of 2015), with 106 cases in 2014 and 348 in 2018, which is more than three times the number of cases in the previous period. Conclusion: In view of the increasing number of registered cases of crimes of sexual abuse, intervention is urgently needed to control or radiate this problem. By investing in the health and harmonious development of children and young people, we are building bridges to a healthy future.

Keywords

• criança
• adolescente
• violência sexual
• risco
• perigo