Physical violence against Brazilian children and adolescents: a 4-year study

Physical Violence Against Children and Adolescents in Porto: A 5-Year Study

“…Several studies have found there is no difference in the occurrence of aggression between males and females (de Macedo Bernardino et al, 2016; Flynn-O’Brien et al, 2016; Fry et al, 2016; Rates, de Melo, Mascarenhas, & Malta, 2015; Sherr et al, 2016; Stoltenborgh, Bakermans-Kranenburg, van Ijzendoorn, & Alink, 2013; Valente et al, 2015); this finding is in agreement with our data, which also show no difference between the sexes as to being victims of PVCA ( p = .524). The fact that we considered only forms of physical violence committed against children may explain our results.…”

“…The age of child and adolescent victims of violence was directly related to the number of occurrences, because the number of victims increased as young people grew older. This fact is corroborated by the results obtained in the logistic regression, where children under 12 years old suffered fewer attacks than adolescents aged 13 and older, thus agreeing with previous results (de Macedo Bernardino et al, 2016). Research has shown that rates of violence start to rise in preadolescence (Nadkarni, Dean, Weiss, & Patel, 2015; Shepherd, Sutherland, & Newcombe, 2006; Valois, MacDonald, Bretous, Fischer, & Drane, 2002) or adolescence (Nadkarni et al, 2015; Shepherd et al, 2006).…”

“…Aggression in the head and neck region leads us to believe that the offender aims to socially mark the victim, as this region is clearly visible for all to see, and therefore to humiliate the victim with respect to others (Rabello & Caldas Júnior, 2007). The study by de Macedo Bernardino et al (2016) reaches the same conclusion that ours does, namely, the injuries suffered by children and adolescents affected more than one body area and the head and face were the areas most commonly affected. For diagnostic purposes, it must be taken into account that injuries that are unexplained or inconsistent with the history provided by the child or a caregiver may also suggest abuse.…”

“…The fact that we considered only forms of physical violence committed against children may explain our results. Although it has been reported that some particular kinds of violence are gender-orientated (e.g., sexual crimes), with regard to physical violence, it appears no such trend exists (de Macedo Bernardino et al, 2016; Valente et al, 2015).…”

“…These differences are, perhaps, explained by cultural differences. Children spend this period of their lives geographically restricted to the residence, to the school, and to the neighborhood and public spaces when accompanied by a parent, family, or guardian (de Macedo Bernardino et al, 2016).…”