Peer-reviewed article
Physical violence against children in Espírito Santo, Brazil: prevalence and associated factors
Márcia Regina de Oliveira Pedroso, Franciéle Marabotti Costa Leite ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined the prevalence and characteristics of physical violence against children reported to authorities in Espírito Santo, Brazil between 2011 and 2018. Nearly one quarter of reported violence cases against children involved physical violence. The violence was more common against boys, children aged 6-9 years, those in rural areas, and was typically perpetrated by adults over 20 years old, often outside the home during night hours. The authors conclude that physical violence reflects power imbalances and highlight the need for child protection measures alongside broader cultural and structural changes.
Key points
- Physical violence accounted for 23.6% of reported violence cases against children (3,127 cases over 8 years)
- Male children were more frequently victims than females
- Children aged 6-9 years experienced higher prevalence of physical violence
- Most perpetrators were adults over 20 years old, indicating power asymmetry
- Violence occurred more often in rural areas and outside the home during night/dawn hours
Limitations
This study only analysed reported cases, so actual prevalence may be higher due to underreporting of violence. The study does not examine the effectiveness of interventions or prevention strategies.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To verify the prevalence of reported cases and the factors associated with physical violence against the child. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with data from reported cases of physical violence against children from 2011 to 2018 in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. The characteristics of the victim, author and aggression were studied, and the associations were analyzed using Poisson regression. RESULTS: In the period, were notified of 3,127 cases of violence against children. The frequency of physical violence was 23.6% (CI95%: 22.2-25.2), more prevalent in males; for the age group of 6 to 9 years; in rural areas; among aggressors over 20 years of age; outside the residence, and night/dawn shift. CONCLUSIONS: Physical violence affects an expressive number of children, mainly committed by adult individuals, probably being the result of an asymmetric relationship of power. Thus, it is important to highlight the need for child protection actions together with cultural and structural changes in our society.