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BACKGROUND: Sexual violence has a several negative impact on women's health. Thus, the health system is a gateway for the multisector response to victims. In 2018, the Clinical Forensic Hospital Units (UCFH) in Chile were launched for this purpose. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the state of implementation of the UCFH in the health services (HS) in Chile. METHOD: This is a quantitative descriptive, cross-sectional study. A survey was designed and applied through the Google Forms platform to the managers of the care and prevention network for victims of sexual violence (VSV) of each SS. The contact of each manager was requested by each HS in three ways: transparency law, lobby law, and telephone. Each HS was classified according to the existence or not of UCFH and for each unit the availability of resources was evaluated according to the recommendations of the Technical Standard of Attention to VSV of the Ministry of Health. Also, the functioning of each unit during the pandemic was evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty-four of the 29 HSs responded, of which 12 reported having UCFH. Of the 12 units, 50% had complete infrastructure, 58.3% had complete instruments, none had full human resources, 50% had partial HR, 50% had sampling complete, and 58. 3% had full health benefits. The function during the pandemic was affected in 25% of the units. CONCLUSION: Challenges persist in the implementation of the UCFH, with special limitations in the availability of human resources.

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OBJECTIVE: The present study examined the relationship between legislative revisions regarding sexual offenses and the release decisions and recidivism rates of individuals convicted of sexual offenses. In 2008, the Austrian government passed a package of revised criminal laws aiming to decrease incarceration rates. At the same time, connecting recidivism risk to professional risk management efforts was expected to increase public safety. HYPOTHESES: Given the strong empirical background of the implemented risk assessment and management efforts, we expected both an increase in the percentage of conditional release decisions and a decrease in recidivism rates. METHOD: We analyzed the data of 2,610 male individuals convicted of sexual offenses who were released from the Austrian Prison System between 2001 and 2016 within a natural experiment using a prospective-longitudinal quasi-experimental study design. RESULTS: The results indicated that the percentage of conditional releases of individuals convicted of sexual offenses increased substantially since 2008. Additionally, within the same period, the recidivism rates of individuals convicted of sexual offenses decreased further. CONCLUSION: Even if both developmental processes are only correlational and a causal relationship cannot be examined, the present results supported the empirical evidence of the risk principle-at least if it is based on scientifically sound risk assessment and management methods. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

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Since the initial development of the Sexual Experiences Survey (SES) four decades ago, the SES has been designed to measure a range of forms of sexual exploitation, including acts that are coercive but not legally sanctioned as well as acts that legally qualify as crimes. That feature was retained in the revised Sexual Experiences Survey-Victimization (SES-V) measure. This article reviews the theoretical and empirical literature that guided the development of the Illegal Sexual Exploitation module of the SES-V, which measures experiences of nonconsensual exploitation resulting in sexual contact and which is designed to correspond to legal definitions across multiple jurisdictions. This article addresses research and applied contexts in which the distinction between legal and illegal sexual exploitation is important and the challenges and limitations involved in writing survey items that correspond to legal definitions. It also discusses revisions made to the items that make up the Illegal Sexual Exploitation module of the SES-V as compared to the illegal items in prior versions of the SES, including a new operationalization of non-consent and an expansion of the sexual acts and exploitative tactics that are included. Finally, the article discusses directions for future research on the Illegal Sexual Exploitation module of the SES-V.

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Sexual violence constitutes a form of gender-based violence, to the extent that the victims are mainly women. Other groups of vulnerable people are also more affected, in particular gender and sexual diversity persons. Sexual and gender-based violence can also occur in healthcare. To respect the legal framework and people's rights, but also to promote safety and quality in healthcare, it is essential to obtain and respect consent. Consent must be informed, explicit, freely given, and reiterated throughout the consultation. This article reviews the concept of consent and offers practical tools for its application in healthcare.

Les violences sexuelles constituent une violence de genre, dans la mesure où les victimes sont principalement des femmes et les auteurs des hommes. D'autres groupes de personnes vulnérables sont également davantage concernés, en particulier les personnes de la diversité sexuelle et de genre. Ces violences sexuelles et de genre existent également dans les soins. Afin de respecter le cadre légal et les droits des personnes, mais aussi de favoriser des soins de qualité et en sécurité, il est primordial de recueillir et respecter le consentement. Celui-ci doit être éclairé, explicite, libre et réitéré tout au long de la consultation. Cet article fait le point sur le concept du consentement et offre des outils pratiques pour son application dans les soins.

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In 2019, the Texas Department of Public Safety (TXDPS) Texas Ranger Division (TRD) identified approximately 3300 registered sex offenders (RSOs) from whom a "lawfully owed" DNA sample was missing from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Lawfully owed DNA (LODNA) is defined as a DNA sample from a qualifying offender who should have had their sample entered into CODIS, but for unknown reasons did not. As a result of those findings, TXDPS then applied for and was awarded a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance's Sexual Assault Kit Initiative to collect DNA specimens from these RSOs, and to perform a statewide LODNA census. TXDPS TRD sought to determine: Are the missed DNA collection problems limited to RSO's or are they occurring among individuals with a qualifying arrest or conviction as specified by state law too? What processes are used to identify individuals who are eligible for DNA sample collection? How is an individuals' DNA collection eligibility conveyed to external agencies? The findings from TXDPS' LODNA census, identified 43,245 individuals who were likely eligible for DNA collection between 1995 and 2020, therefore indicating statewide DNA collection issues. Over 4 years, collection efforts pertaining to the aforementioned lawfully owed census, have yielded 5183 LODNA sample collections, and 276 CODIS hits. This manuscript aims to create an awareness within other agencies of the importance of implementing best practices to ensure the collection and upload of LODNA from every eligible individual.

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Sexual assault cases typically involve intense physical contact between victim and perpetrator, resulting in a high chance of trace transfer. In addition the victim's, and sometimes the suspect's, declaration is available, and can help direct the forensic investigation. However, many cases are still closed because of insufficient proof or an unknown perpetrator.Previously in Belgium, the forensic analysis strategy was often limited to the detection of human sperm fluid and if not found, the forensic part of the case was closed.Therefore, the Forensic Advice service from the Belgian National Institute for Criminalistics and Criminology (NICC) together with the public prosecutor's office of the Judicial district Antwerp, department Antwerp started "Project code 37". In Belgium every type of crime receives a code and sexual assault cases are categorized under code 37. Because a forensic advisor focuses on the potential of forensic examination on physical objects, the project focused on cases with samples taken on the victim or clothing available.The goal of the project was to perform a contextual analysis in order to go beyond the standard sperm fluid-orientated approach and evaluate if this had a positive impact on the conviction rate. The project also aimed to evaluate the impact of the consistent use of toxicological analyses on conviction rates. Through this systematic contextual analysis, it became clear that four clear categories could be defined: (1) cases with an unknown perpetrator, (2) cases where the suspect denies all contact, (3) cases where the suspect denies (part of) the sexual contact, and (4) cases where only the consent of the victim is disputed. These categories all assumed one female victim and one male perpetrator. Together with the NICC's DNA, trace evidence and toxicology lab, an analysis strategy was drafted for the four categories. All cases that do not fit this description were gathered in a fifth category (custom-made cases), as the victim's/perpetrator's sex has a significant effect on the forensic analysis strategy. At the end of the project, a comparison was made with the same set of cases from another judicial year where the standard analysis strategy was used. For all the categories for which data was available, there was a rise of the conviction rate and a decrease in the number of dismissed cases.

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The recall of memories of past events, experiences and emotions is a complex process. When experiencing traumatic events, as is the case with sexual violence, a host of additional complexities and difficulties arise. This becomes especially important in court cases which rely mostly or exclusively on the testimony of the victim, where the problem of the fallibility of memory takes center stage. Some research studies emphasize the possibility of inducing, altering or suppressing memories, especially in the context of psychotherapy. This has led to the unfortunate reality that the testimony of victims who have undergone psychotherapy is often considered to be unreliable. This in turn can lead to the impression that a decision has to be made between treatment of the adverse effects of traumatic events and maximizing the chances for a conviction of the perpetrator in court. This article introduces some central concepts of our current understanding of memory and gives an overview of the relevant scientific literature and debate. Following this, it examines the dilemma as it pertains to the different groups of all involved parties (i.e., victims, members of the judiciary and psychotherapists). Lastly, it proposes a framework of how to approach a solution to this problem by focusing on research in critical areas, expansion of therapy guidelines and documentation procedures as well as communication of these efforts to all parties involved.

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The consumption of pornography over the Internet by minors has been increasing exponentially in recent years. The use of digital technologies and the ease of access to these contents are causes that explain this event. Simultaneously, there is concern about the increase in sexual violence, associated with discriminatory behavior, despite the efforts of laws and programs that promote sexual reproductive health (SRH) and the principle of equality. From a bioethical point of view, it is urgent to address this issue, which affects the physical and psychological health of minors and their affective-sexual education. The study addresses whether it is possible to relate the consumption of online pornography by minors and sexual violence. To do this, legal sources, reports from associations, audiovisual councils and scientific studies are consulted. In all of them, the relationship between the consumption of online pornography by adolescents and risky behavior in emotional-sexual matters and gender inequality is evident. In the legal and fiscal sphere, it is alerted to the damage that is occurring and points out the need to propose lines of action that reverse this situation. We propose measures to technically regulate access to content. These measures are based on the precautionary principle, a tool that has been applied in fields such as health and the environment. More studies and political actions are needed to make the Internet a safe place for minors.

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Within the US, children and adolescents who engage in sexually abusive behavior are often subjected to sex offender registration and notification requirements, which contribute to stigmatization and forfeiture of their civil rights without empirical basis (Lancaster, 2011; Pickett et al., 2023; Zilney & Zilney, 2009). To date, 39 states subject children with adjudicated sexual offenses to sex offender registration requirements, with most recent estimates revealing that approximately 200,000 youth have been placed on sex offender registries within the US and many are now on the registry as adults (Pickett et al., 2020). This severe response-by both members of the public and policymakers-toward children who engage in inappropriate sexual behavior is imposed upon children and adolescents with adjudicated sexual offenses in an effort to meet goals of reducing sexual violence and increasing community safety. Within the current discourse, we review the history of registration and notification practices for adolescents with sexual offenses, describe what registration and notification policies entail, and then present empirical and theoretical evidence of the harmful outcomes associated with implementation of registration and notification requirements for sexual offenses. Thus, the predominant aim of this discourse is to encourage thoughtful and critical examination of registration and notification policies and their iatrogenic impacts.

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Sextortion, the threatened dissemination of explicit, intimate, or embarrassing images of a sexual nature without consent, is an understudied problem. Despite a recent increase in reported incidents among adolescents in the United States, little is known about the nature and extent of sextortion among this population. The current research explores sextortion behaviors among a national sample of 4972 middle and high school students (mean age = 14.5) for the purpose of illuminating how many youth are targeted, and understanding various characteristics of the incident (including who was involved, what offenders wanted, what offenders did, and who targets told). About 5% of youth reported that they were victims of sextortion, primarily by people they knew. Many of those targeted did not disclose the incident to adults. Implications for future research and the law are discussed.

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BACKGROUND: There may be significant physical and psychological consequences and impacts for males who experience sexual assault as adults, however, published literature in this context is sparse, specifically for the investigative outcomes in the criminal legal process. METHOD: This clinical audit tracked 138 adult males who presented for forensic and medical sexual assault care from initial presentation to ACT Police investigation and court outcome from 2004 to 2022. RESULTS: There were 103/138 (74.6%) males who attended for medical and forensic care within 72 h of the reported assault. Pre-existing mental health conditions were self-reported in 59/138 (42.7%) males. Nearly half of males 67/138 (48.5%) had a medical evidence kit collected. Males presenting for medical care 44/138 (31.2%) went on to report to ACT Policing, 36/44 (81.2%) of cases did not proceed to court. The most common clearance type was inadequate evidence to proceed (17/44, 38.6%). In 8/44 (18.2%) of adult male cases who subsequently reported to ACT Police, the investigation resulted in entry to the judicial process with a suspect charged with a sexual offence. Five of those cases resulting in a conviction. CONCLUSIONS: Many adult male patients presented within timeframes that enabled the provision of time critical medical care and provided an opportunity for forensic medical evidence collection. Many adult males 59 (42.7%) self-reported pre-existing mental health conditions upon initial presentation. Attrition occurred throughout the patient journey with many males not reporting to police and thus not presenting in the legal process. This further emphasises the need for independent sexual violence patient advisors to support adult male victims through the medical and criminal justice process.

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Introducción: La sumisión química es el uso de sustancias químicas con el fin de manipular la voluntad en las personas produciendo una incapacidad o inconsciencia que facilita la acción criminal, por lo que han tomado un gran protagonismo en los últimos años, debido al uso frecuente en los casos de presuntos delitos contra la libertad sexual.Materiales y métodosSe ha realizado un estudio observacional descriptivo-retrospectivo de casos de presuntos delitos contra la libertad sexual ejercidos mediante sustancias químicas, con el fin de determinar el perfil de las víctimas según las muestras analizadas y las sustancias detectadas en los años 2016, 2017 y 2018, que han sido registrados en la Dirección de Criminalística (DIRCRI) de la Policía Nacional del Perú (PNP).ResultadosDe los 1841 casos de delito contra la libertad sexual, 445 (24,17±2%) cumplieron los criterios de inclusión. El perfil de la víctima es de una mujer limeña joven con una edad media de 22,56±1,14 años. La procedencia de casos fue San Juan de Lurigancho (10,56±2,9%). Las muestras remitidas han sido orina (62,47±4,5%), y en conjunto con el sarro ungueal (37,53±4,5%). El análisis toxicológico de los casos probables han sido sustancias identificadas como psicofármacos (57,53±4,6%, fundamentalmente benzodiacepinas), etanol (26,29±4,1%), y drogas ilícitas (11,24±2,9%, fundamentalmente marihuana y cocaína), solas o en combinación.ConclusionesEl estudio demostró que el 24,17±2% fueron casos probables de mujeres limeñas, agredidas sexualmente bajo efectos de sustancias químicas, predominando el distrito de San Juan de Lurigancho con el 10,56±2,9%, cuya mayoría de muestras analizadas fueron a partir de la orina con el 62,47±4,5%; el grupo de sustancias en el que más prevalencia se obtuvo fueron los psicofármacos con 57,53±4,6%, siendo las benzodiacepinas los únicos subgrupos que fueron registrados. (AU)

Introduction: Chemical submission is the use of chemical substances to manipulate the will of a person, producing incapacity or unconsciousness that facilitates criminal action. It has gained in prominence in recent years, due to its frequent use in cases of alleged crimes against sexual freedom.Materials and methodsAn observational descriptive-retrospective study of cases of alleged crimes against sexual freedom committed using chemical substances was carried out, to determine the profile of the victims according to the samples analysed and the substances detected in 2016, 2017 and 2018,registered with the Criminalistics Directorate (DIRCRI) of the Peruvian National Police (PNP).ResultsOf the 1841 cases of crime against sexual freedom, 445 (24.17%±2%) met the inclusion criteria. The victim's profile is that of a young (Lima) woman (mean age: 22.56±1.14 years). The cases were from San Juan de Lurigancho (10.56%±2.9%). The samples submitted were urine (62.47%±4.5%), and urine and nail plaque (37.53%±4.5%). The toxicological analysis of probable cases showed substances identified as psychotropic drugs (57.53%±4.6%, mainly benzodiazepines), ethanol (26.29%±4.1%), and illicit drugs (11.24%±2.9%, mainly marijuana and cocaine), alone or in combination.ConclusionsThe study showed that 24.17%±2% were probable cases of Lima women who had been sexually assaulted under the influence of chemical substances, predominantly in the district of San Juan de Lurigancho at 10.56%±2.9%, most of the samples analysed were urine with 62.47%±4.5%; the most prevalent group of substances were psychotropic drugs at 57.53%±4.6%, with benzodiazepines being the only subgroups that were recorded. (AU)

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Históricamente la sociedad ha rechazado el abuso sexual de menores de 13 años, dictándose leyes al respecto. La justicia luego de un debido proceso condenaba al victimario con reclusión incluso hasta la década del 70-80, con orquiectomía. Los adelantos en neurobiología, endocrinología, sicofarmacología y sicología se consideraron las bases para tratar al pedófilo y someterlo a libertad condicional, ahorrándose el costo financiero de la reclusión de por vida. Diversos países dictaron leyes contra la conducta pedófila. En dicha legislación ejerció gran influencia la promulgación en EE.UU. (estado de Washington "sobre el ofensor sexual" y el dictamen de la Corte Suprema en 1997 en el juicio de Kansas vs Hendricks). En Chile en los 90 el caso del pedófilo apodado "Zacarach" sacó a la luz pública el tema que no se quería ver. En esa fecha se presentó al parlamento un proyecto de Ley para "curar" la pedofilia con acetato de Medroxiprogesterona imitando legislación de EE.UU. Causó sorpresa en el medio endocrinológico que se usara terapia hormonal como "cura" de la pedofilia. Se ha utilizado en varios países la castración química producida por gestágenos o agonístas del GnRH más antiandrógenos (acetato de Ciproterona), para inhibir la secreción y acción de la testosterona disminuyendo líbido y erección. No se ha demostrado que exista curación de la orientación pedófila y existen dudas de la prevención primaria y secundaria de la pedofilia. Pese al adelanto tecnológico en neurociencias para estudio de las zonas vinculadas a la sexualidad, aún no existen marcadores que permitan diagnosticar o pronosticar futuros resultados de la terapia. El tratamiento médico de la pedofilia no garantiza curación ni prevención del delito pedofílico.

Historically, society has rejected sexual abuse of children under 13, with there having been laws enacted in this regard. The judicial system, after a due process, condemned the perpetrator with reclusion and even up until the decades of the 70s and 80s with orchiectomy. Advances in neurobiology, endocrinology, psychopharmacology and psychology were considered the basis for treating the pedophile and putting them on probation, saving the financial cost of imprisonment for life. Multiple countries have enacted laws against pedophilic behaviour. Such legislation was greatly influenced by the enactment in the USA (state of Washington "on the sex offender" and the ruling of the Supreme Court in 1997 in the trial of Kansas against Hendricks). In Chile in the 90s, the case of a pedophile nicknamed "Zacarach" brought to light an issue that nobody wanted to see. Around that time, a bill was presented to Parliament to try and "cure" pedophilia with Medroxyprogesterone acetate, imitating US legislation. It was a surprise in the endocrinological world that hormonal therapy would be used as a "cure" for pedophilia. Chemical castration produced by gestagens or GnRH agonists plus antiandrogens (Cyproterone acetate) has been used in several countries to inhibit the secretion and action of testosterone, reducing libido and erection. It has not been proven that there is a cure for pedophile orientation and there are doubts about the primary and secondary prevention of pedophilia. Despite technological advances in neurosciences for the study of the zones pertaining to sexuality, there are still no indicators that allow for diagnosis or prediction of future results of therapy. The medical treatment of pedophilia does not guarantee cure or prevention of pedophilic crime.

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BACKGROUND: Over the past years medical centres specifically addressed in gender-based violence have developed protocols for the collections of evidence useful in the courtroom, including accurate documentation of physical and psychological states of the victim and collection of samples. Previous studies showed an association between documented physical trauma and conviction but unfortunately, few studies in the recent literature analysed the factors that influence the legal outcome and final judgement. The present study focused on the elements that appeared of significance in the legal outcome, including medico-legal evaluation, source of the crime report and circumstance of the assault. METHODS: It was conducted a retrospective analysis of all the judgments issued by the Public Prosecutor's Office at a Court of a Metropolitan Italian city regarding sexual and domestic violence, from January 1st 2011 to 31st December 31st 2015. Examination regarded the demographic information of the victim and of the defendant, information on the crime, the circumstances of the aggression and medical information retrieved. Sentences were subsequently divided into two categories based on the legal outcome (conviction vs acquittal) and the different characteristics of the two sub-populations were compared to verify if there were variables significantly associated to the judge's final judgment. RESULTS: Over the 5 years taken into consideration, there have been 1342 verdicts regarding crimes of sexual violence (374 cases) and regarding abuses against family members or cohabitants (875): other 93 cases regarded both sexual violence and abuse. 66.3% ended in conviction of the offender and 33.7% in acquittal of the accused. Cases of conviction were more frequent when they involved: use of a weapon by the assailant, as well as if the assailant had a criminal record and had a history of drug abuse or other addictions; duration of proceeding less 22 months and a civil party involved; presence of clinical documentation together with other deposition in addition to victim's deposition; also frequent episodes of violence and application of precautionary measures were associated to conviction. CONCLUSIONS: Many factors seem able to influence the judge's judgment, although clearly each case must be singularly evaluated. The mere presence of medical documentation, without the support of other sources of evidence, such as the victim's statement or further declarations, however, is almost always not definitive for the verdict. Despite so, in cases where there are multiple sources of evidence, clinical documentation can provide useful elements and can give clues on the consistency between the history told and injuries observed.

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INTRODUCTION: Sexual assault is a public health problem that affects many Americans and has multiple long-lasting effects on victims. Medical evaluation after sexual assault frequently occurs in the emergency department, and documentation of the visit plays a significant role in decisions regarding prosecution and outcomes of legal cases against perpetrators. The American College of Emergency Physicians recommends coding such visits as sexual assault rather than adding modifiers such as "alleged." METHODS: This study reviews factors associated with coding of visits as sexual assault compared to suspected sexual assault using the 2016 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample. RESULTS: Younger age, female gender, a larger number of procedure codes, urban hospital location, and lack of concurrent alcohol use are associated with coding for confirmed sexual assault. CONCLUSION: Implications of this coding are discussed.

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Juveniles referred for adjudicative competence evaluations make up a subset of youth involved in the juvenile justice system. Among those referred for adjudicative competence evaluations, a significant number involve youth with current or past charges for sexual offenses. This study examines the profiles of youth with sexual offense charges who have been referred for competence evaluations at a state psychiatric hospital for children and adolescents. Differences between the characteristics of youth with and without sexual offenses were explored, and predictors of competence opinions were examined among the subset of youth with current or prior sexual charges (juveniles with sexual offenses, or JSOs). Findings indicated that youth with sexual offenses have several demographic, cognitive, clinical, and legal differences from youth without sexual offenses. Although youth with sexual offenses were less likely to be opined competent, presence of a sexual offense was not a predictor of competence opinions after controlling for other factors. Predictors of competence among JSOs were found to be similar to those among youth referred for competence evaluations in general. Primary diagnosis of an autism-related disorder was a unique predictor of being opined not competent among the JSO subgroup, but not the overall sample. Implications for practice, policy, and research are discussed.

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Introdução: Em Moçambique, anualmente, milhares de crianças são vítimas de violência, incluindo as suas formas mais extremas, como a violência física e sexual, o que compromete a saúde física e psicológica destas crianças. Objectivo: Analisar a violência nas crianças, em relação às características demográficas (da criança e do perpetrador), bem como descrever os aspectos clínicos da violência. Métodos: É um estudo transversal e retrospectivo, baseado em registos hospitalares dos serviços da Urgência de Pediatria e da Medicina Legal do Hospital Central de Maputo. Para a recolha de dados utilizámos o Formulário de Relatório de Casos Notificados. Foi utilizado o programa Excel® e testes de qui-quadrado para a análise dos resultados. Resultados: Identificámos um total de 329 casos de lesões relacionadas com a violência que afectaram crianças no Hospital Central de Maputo em 2019, dos quais 143 (43,5%) foram registados na Urgência de Pediatria e 186 (56,5%) na Medicina Legal. A violência sexual foi a forma de violência mais frequente (58% no total). Em ambos os serviços, as vítimas foram maioritariamente meninas do que meninos. As crianças mais velhas (11-14 anos) foram mais observadas na Medicina Legal (47,3% em comparação com 30,1% da Urgência de Pediatria) e as mais novas (0-5), na Urgência de Pediatria (37,1% em comparação com 28,6% a Medicina Legal). A violência sexual foi mais frequente entre as meninas em ambos os serviços, por outro lado, os meninos sofreram mais violência física. Os homens foram os principais perpetradores (81,8% no total) e a maioria deles eram conhecidos da família ou da vítima. As meninas sofreram lesões mais graves, exigindo cuidados médicos intensivos (12,0% em comparação a e 4,5% dos meninos). Em contrapartida, os meninos tiveram mais consultas médicas com alta imediata. As meninas tiveram de longe mais lesões genitais (66,4%) enquanto que os meninos tiveram mais lesões em todas as outras partes do corpo (cabeça, membros superiores, tórax e abdómen, membros inferiores e anal). Conclusões: A violência sexual foi a forma mais frequente de violência nos dois serviços. As meninas foram as vítimas de violência mais frequentemente descritas, tanto nos dois serviços como para a violência sexual em todas idades. Por outro lado, a violência física foi mais frequente entre os meninos. Os homens foram os principais perpetradores de violência especialmente da violência sexual, sendo estes, frequentemente conhecidos da família da vítima ou da própria vítima, é em vários casos um familiar. A casa da vítima ou do perpetrador é onde ocorreu a maioria dos eventos violentos. As crianças apresentaram várias lesões em consequência da violência sofrida, mas nem todos casos foram considerados graves. As meninas apresentaram lesões mais graves que exigiram cuidados médicos intensivos ou até cirurgia e os rapazes mais consultas médicas com alta imediata.

Introduction: In Mozambique, yearly, thousands of children are victims of violence, including its most extreme forms, such as physical and sexual violence, which hinders their healthy development. Objective: To analyze violence in children, in relation to demographic characteristics (child and perpetrator) as well as to describe the clinical aspects of violence-related injury. Methods: This study is cross-sectional and retrospective. Based on hospital records from the two services of Maputo Central Hospital, namely Pediatric Emergency and Forensic Medicine. For data collection we used a standardized Case Report Form. Excel® program and chi-square tests were used to analyze the results. Results: We identified a total of 329 cases of violence-related injuries affecting children at Maputo Central Hospital in 2019, of which 143 (43.5%) were registered at Pediatric Emergency and 186 (56.5%) at Forensic Medicine. Sexual violence was most common (58% in total). In both services, the victims were more frequently girls than boys. Also, older children (11-14 years) were more often seen at Forensic Medicine (47.3% compared with 30.1% at Pediatric Emergency) and younger ones (0-5), at Pediatric Emergency (37.1% compared with 28.6% at Forensic Medicine). Sexual violence was by far the most frequent among girls in both services, by contrast, boys suffered more physical violence. Males were the most common perpetrators (81.8%) and most of them were known to the family or the victim in both services. Girls also had more severe injuries, requiring intensive medical care than boys (12.0% and 4.5% respectively). By contrast, boys had more medical consultation with immediate discharge. Girls had by far more genital injuries (66.4%) while boys had more injuries in all other body parts (head, upper limbs, thorax and abdomen, lower limbs and anal). Conclusions: Sexual violence was the most common form of violence afflicting the children, most often girls, presenting at the two services. Sexual violence was most common among girls at all ages and physical violence, among boys. Men were identified as the main perpetrator, especially of sexual violence. The perpetrators were also very frequently known to the family of the victim, in several instances a relative. The victim's or perpetrator's home, is where most of the violent events take place. Multiple injuries were sustained but not all were severe. Girls had more severe injuries requiring intensive medical care and surgery, and boys, more medical consultations with immediate discharge.

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