Promotion of children's rights and prevention of child abuse

Child abuse is a complex, multi-faceted and controversial topic. A retrospective cohort study aimed to characterize the profile of children victims of domestic violence and their aggressors and to evaluate the efficiency of judicial interventions. Ninety-eight cases lodged with the Infancy and Childhood Court involving 179 children and 121 perpetrators were analyzed. Negligence/abandonment (62%) and physical violence (30%) were the most frequent violations. Mothers were identified as the most frequent aggressor; monthly income of up to one minimum wage and history of alcohol use have been associated with violence. Seventy-one percent of victims were enrolled in educational institutions. In 25% of the cases the severity of the abuse required the removal of the child from the family. A third of the children were enrolled in official programs designed to provide the family with support, orientation and follow-up. This protective judicial intervention was successful in reducing abuse in 93% of the cases within 2 years. Prevention of child abuse requires the involvement of professionals of multiple fields at an early stage. The promotion and safeguarding of children's rights must come primarily from the implementation of public policy not judicial intervention.