Abstract
Violence experienced in adolescence results in serious damage and suffering to society. This study aims to characterize the profile of violence victims and likely perpetrators of violence against adolescents, as well as to describe the percentage of notifying municipalities according to the federation unit. Cross-sectional study conducted with data on notification of violence against adolescents from the Information System for Notifiable Diseases, from 2011 to 2017. The chi-square test was used to assess the statistical significance of the differences between the proportions in the comparison between genders. Proportion ratios for the most frequent types of violence were estimated according to selected variables. The notifications came from 75.4% of all the Brazilian municipalities. Physical violence predominated among males, aged 15-19 years. Psychological violence was predominant among females, between 10 and 14 years old, when perpetrated repeatedly at home by family aggressors. Sexual violence prevailed among females, aged 10 to 14 years old, in the indigenous, black and yellow races/colors, when perpetrated repeatedly at home. Negligence was more common among males, between 10 and 14 years old, when perpetrated repeatedly by family aggressors. Sexual violence occurred predominantly against females and generated significant negative impacts on mental, physical, sexual and reproductive health. Community violence, perpetrated with sharp objects and firearms, were prominent among males and are important risk factors for male over-mortality. Because the problems are complex, addressing them requires intersectoral actions.
Highlights
Violence experienced in adolescence results in serious damage and suffering to society
This study aims to characterize the profile of violence victims and likely perpetrators of violence against adolescents, as well as to describe the percentage of notifying municipalities according to the federation unit
Adolescents were defined as individuals aged between 10 and 19 years old, according to the convention prepared by the World Health Organization[3] and adopted by the Brazilian Ministry of Health[20]
Summary
Violence experienced in adolescence results in serious damage and suffering to society. Psychological violence was predominant among females, between 10 and 14 years old, when perpetrated repeatedly at home by family aggressors. Adolescence is a unique formative stage of human development that requires special attention in national development policies, programs and plans[1] During this period, individuals have new experiences, and many protective or risky behaviors begin or consolidate, with more exposure to accidents and violence[1,2,3,4,5]. The violence experienced in adolescence can result in serious physical and psychosocial consequences for individuals and directly affect quality of life[6], with disabilities, psychological disorders[7,8] and suffering for both families and the society[6,9]. It is noteworthy that violence is associated with an increased risk of depression from adolescence, especially among women, considering that in their case, some types of violence, including sexual victimization, increase markedly in early adolescence[8]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
