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OBJECTIVE: Violence against children (VAC) is a global public health and human rights issue that can lead to long-lasting negative consequences for individual and societal outcomes. While extensive evidence indicates that parenting programmes might be effective in preventing VAC, there are several unsolved questions on how to ensure interventions are acceptable, feasible, effective and sustainable, particularly in low- and- middle-income countries (LMICs). METHOD: In this study, we report findings from a qualitative examination of policymakers' (N = 10), early childhood and parenting programme facilitators' (N = 20) and parents' and other caregivers' (N = 38) perspectives on VAC prevention to examine the implementation ecosystem of parenting programmes in Colombia, including contextual risk and protection factors, features of existing programmes, and stakeholders' needs. We conducted interviews and focus groups using a semistructured format, along with a thematic approach, to analyse the data from each group of participants (i.e., policymakers, facilitators and caregivers) independently. RESULTS: Overall, the data revealed the critical role of intersecting and interacting factors at the micro (e.g., caregivers' capabilities and beliefs), meso (e.g., programme content and delivery approaches) and macro (e.g., policymakers' vision and existing infrastructure) levels in exacerbating risks/imposing barriers versus protecting/promoting VAC prevention. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide evidence on the implementation ecosystem of prevention programmes to inform the design of novel strategies and programmes aimed at preventing violence and promoting families' well-being and young children's development.

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Background: Identifying modifiable risk factors for child victimisation and polyvictimisation (exposure to multiple types of victimisation) is critical for informing prevention efforts, yet little evidence is available in low- and middle-income countries. The authors aimed to estimate the prevalence of child victimisation and polyvictimisation, and examine unique and shared risk factors in a population-based cohort in Southern Brazil. Methods: Lifetime child victimisation was based on maternal report when children were aged 4 years old (N∼3900) and included five types of victimisation (conventional crime, child maltreatment, peer/sibling victimisation, sexual victimisation, and witnessing/indirect victimisation) and polyvictimisation. Based on a socioecological model, possible risk factors were examined in four levels: community, maternal and family, parent, and child. Findings: Conventional crime and peer/sibling victimisation were the most common types of victimisation (46.0 and 46.5%, respectively), followed by witnessing/indirect victimisation (27.0%), and child maltreatment (11.3%). Sexual victimisation had the lowest prevalence (1.4%). One in 10 (10.1%) children experienced polyvictimisation. In general, boys had higher victimisation rates than girls. There were few risk factors related only to specific types of victimisation (e.g., child disability was uniquely associated with child maltreatment and peer/sibling victimisation). Instead, most risk factors were shared across nearly all victimisation types and also associated with polyvictimisation. These shared risk factors were: violent neighbourhood and low social cohesion, maternal adverse childhood experiences, younger maternal age, parental antisocial behaviour, intimate partner violence against mothers, and maternal depression. Interpretation: These findings reveal a general pattern of accumulative risk effects for different types of victimisation and polyvictimisation, rather than unique risk profiles in children aged four year Prevention efforts should target risk factors at multiple levels (e.g.,: community, maternal and family and parent) during early childhood. Funding: Wellcome Trust grant 10735_Z_18_Z.

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BACKGROUND: Violence against children and youth poses public health risks regarding mental health symptoms and substance use. Less studied is the relationship between violence and mental health/substance abuse in the Latin American context. This study explored sex-stratified relationships between violence and mental health/substance use among Colombian youth. METHODS: We analyzed the 2018 Colombian Violence Against Children and Youth Survey, which collected cross-sectional data from Colombian youth (13-24 years) (n = 2705). Exposure variables were (i) binary sexual, emotional, and physical victimization and (ii) poly-victimization. The outcomes were binary suicidal thoughts, self-harm, past-month psychological distress, binge drinking, smoking, and drug use. Sex-stratified, logistic regressions were adjusted for age, primary school, parental presence, relationship status, and witnessing community violence. RESULTS: For females, (i) emotional violence (compared to being unexposed) was associated with greater odds of suicidal thoughts, self-harm, and psychological distress and (ii) sexual violence was associated with suicidal thoughts and self-harm. For males, (i) emotional violence (compared to being unexposed) was associated with greater odds of suicidal thoughts and psychological distress, but not self-harm and (ii) sexual violence exposure was associated with suicidal thoughts and self-harm. Physical violence was generally not associated with internalized mental health outcomes for females/males, when emotional and sexual violence were held constant. Poly-victimization was consistently and positively associated with internalized mental health symptoms among females, and to a lesser degree for males. Substance use outcomes for males or females were not associated with violence. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight the internalized mental health burden of emotional and sexual violence.

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BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic produced alarming rates of disease and mortality globally, yet few nations were as severely impacted as Brazil. The pandemic also exposed and exacerbated persistent forms of structural violence across Brazil, which complicated gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response efforts. While structural violence is not new, the systemic pressure and uncertainty introduced by COVID-19 intensified the detrimental impact of structural violence on the lives of Brazilians impacted by GBV. This work qualitatively investigated how the COVID-19 pandemic amplified structural violence and GBV in Brazil. METHODS: We analyzed key informant interviews (KII) conducted with 12 service providers working in sectors related GBV prevention and response in Roraima, Boa Vista, and Rio de Janeiro. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and translated from Portuguese or Spanish into English, before applying deductive and inductive coding approaches through a collaborative data reduction process. The theoretical lens of structural violence outlined by Farmer and Rylko-Bauer guided the thematic development. RESULTS: Analyses identified three themes. First, structural violence manifests as policies of inaction and erasure, which reduce the opportunity for upward social mobility among GBV survivors including Black women, trans persons, and people who live in the favelas. Policies of inaction and erasure fail to acknowledge/adequately respond to the significant health and safety needs of these communities. Second, structural violence is a fundamental cause of violence against women and children. Finally, service providers described community driven responses that address the dire survival needs (i.e., food insecurity) imposed by COVID-19, within a context of structural violence. These community driven responses were innovative, agile, and based on dire needs expressed to, and observed by, the service providers interviewed. CONCLUSION: This analysis highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing forms of structural violence prevalent throughout Brazil. Findings stress the urgency with which the Brazilian government and international organization must act to support community driven programs that strive to address the most basic human needs.

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BACKGROUND: Exposure to protracted public violence is increasingly referenced as a risk factor for domestic violence, but limited quantitative evidence has demonstrated this association to date. This study analyzes associations in Colombia between lifetime experiences of external violence, including the Colombia civil conflict and community interpersonal violence, and experiences of household violence, including intimate partner and caregiver violence. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We use the 2018 Colombia Violence Against Children and Youth Survey, employing multi-variable logistic regressions to determine the association between exposure to external violence and household violence victimization for females aged 13-24 (n = 1406). Adjusted models controlled for age, ever married, currently in school, and past 12-mo work experience and standard errors were adjusted to account for the multi-stage sampling design. Females who had ever witnessed community violence (39.23 %) faced increased risks of experiencing both physical violence (aOR = 2.81; 95 % CIs: 1.54-5.14; p < 0.001) and emotional violence (aOR: 2.48; 95 % CIs: 1.29-4.75; p < 0.01) from caregivers. Females who had ever witnessed internal conflict (15.99 %) had a greater likelihood of experiencing emotional violence from caregivers (aOR: 5.24; 95 % CIs: 1.86-14.76; p < 0.01) as well as physical violence perpetrated by intimate partners (aOR: 3.31; 95 % CIs: 1.22-8.95; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the connection between exposure to community violence and internal conflict and household violence victimization among adolescent and young adult females in Colombia. Findings build the evidence base for more holistic and coordinated policy and programming efforts and foreground the need to identify and support vulnerable populations across socioecological domains in contexts of chronic violence.

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Resumo A violência infantil é um problema que afeta crianças no mundo todo. O presente estudo objetiva identificar e analisar os principais resultados apresentados em artigos publicados no Brasil sobre as práticas profissionais desenvolvidas em situações de maus-tratos infantis. Para tanto, realizou-se uma revisão integrativa da literatura, com buscas nas bases de dados Google Acadêmico, no SciELO Brasil, nos Periódicos da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior do Ministério da Educação (CAPES/MEC), no MEDLARS ONLINE (Medline), na Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS Saúde) e nos Periódicos Eletrônicos em Psicologia (Pepsic), abrangendo publicações de 2017 a 2022. Após a leitura dos títulos e resumos, 24 artigos foram selecionados para a análise. Os resultados apontam a dificuldade na proteção integral da criança devido à deficiência na formação do profissional, que influencia na identificação e notificação do abuso infantil. O presente estudo revela o lugar que os maus-tratos infantis ocupam na formação dos profissionais e subsidia pesquisas futuras sobre práticas profissionais para o enfrentamento da violência infantil.

Abstract Child abuse is a problem that affects children all over the world. The present study therefore aimed to identify and analyze the main findings relating to professional practices for dealing with situations of child maltreatment in articles published in Brazil. To this end, we conducted an integrative literature review of articles published between 2017 and 2022 based on searches of the following databases: Google Scholar, SciELO Brasil, the periodicals database of the Agency for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), MEDLINE, the Virtual Health Library, and Electronic Journals in Psychology (PePSIC). A total of 24 publications were selected for the review after screening the titles and abstracts. The findings reveal several challenges to ensuring the protection of children caused by shortcomings in professional training, which have a negative influence on the identification and reporting of child maltreatment. The present study reveals the lack of priority given to the issue of child maltreatment in professional training and provides important inputs to inform future research on professional practices for dealing with child violence.

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BACKGROUND: Violence against children (VAC) is a global public health problem, and parenting programmes are a key strategy to reduce VAC at home. We developed and evaluated a preschool-based, early childhood, violence prevention, parenting programme (the Irie Homes Toolbox) in Jamaica and reported significant reductions in parents' use of VAC [Effect size (ES) = -0.29] and increases in parents' positive practices (ES = 0.30). This study presents qualitative findings on the mechanisms of action of the programme. METHODS: As part of a cluster randomized trial, 115 parents from nine preschools participated in the Irie Homes Toolbox parenting programme. The programme consisted of eight 90-min sessions with groups of six parents and focussed on strengthening parent-child relationships, understanding children's behaviour, using appropriate discipline strategies and understanding and managing emotions. We conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with a stratified random sample of 28 parents (two to four parents per school) and with nine preschool teachers (one teacher per preschool). Topic guides were developed to explore participants' perspectives of the mechanisms of action of the programme. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed, and data were analysed using the framework approach. RESULTS: The most salient direct pathways to reduced VAC by both parent and teacher reports were through parents' use of alternative strategies to manage child misbehaviour and through improved parent well-being, especially parents' self-management skills. Other factors leading to reduced VAC by parents, reported by both parents and teachers, included self-identification as an 'Irie parent', use of proactive parenting strategies and improved child behaviour. Parents reported that the main factors leading to continued use of VAC were their inconsistency in using positive discipline strategies and poor emotional self-regulation. CONCLUSION: Reports from participating parents and preschool teachers indicate that contents related to parental self-management and how to use positive discipline strategies to manage child misbehaviour were important factors on the pathway to reduced VAC.

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Introduction: Violence against children (VAC) is a violation of child rights, has high prevalence in low- and middle-income countries, is associated with long-term negative effects on child functioning, and with high economic and social costs. Ending VAC at home and at school is thus a global public health priority. Methods: In Jamaica, we evaluated an early childhood, teacher-training, violence-prevention programme, (the Irie Classroom Toolbox), in a cluster-randomised trial in 76 preschools. The programme led to large reductions to teachers' use of VAC, although the majority of teachers continued to use VAC at times. In this paper, we describe a mixed-method evaluation of the Irie Classroom Toolbox in the 38 Jamaican preschools that were assigned to the wait-list control group of the trial. In a quantitative evaluation, 108 preschool teachers in 38 preschools were evaluated at pre-test and 91 teachers from 37 preschools were evaluated at post-test. One preschool teacher from each of these 37 preschools were randomly selected to participate in an in-depth interview as part of the qualitative evaluation. Results: Preschool teachers were observed to use 83% fewer instances of VAC across one school day after participating in the programme, although 68% were observed to use VAC at least once across two days. The qualitative evaluation confirmed these findings with all teachers reporting reduced use of violence, but 70% reporting continued use of VAC at times. Teachers reported that the behaviour change techniques used to deliver the intervention increased their motivation, knowledge and skills which in turn led to improved child behaviour, improved relationships and improved professional well-being. Direct pathways to reduced use of VAC by teachers were through improved child behaviour and teacher well-being. The main reasons for continued use of VAC were due to barriers teachers faced using positive discipline techniques, teachers' negative affect, and child behaviours that teachers perceived to be severe. Discussion: We describe how we used the results from the mixed-method evaluation to inform revisions to the programme to further reduce teachers' use of VAC and to inform the processes of training, supervision and ongoing monitoring as the programme is scaled-up through government services.

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PURPOSE: There is a paucity of research examining the contextual factors that shape the violence experienced by those engaged in transactional sex, particularly among adolescent boys and young men. Recognizing the acute vulnerability among youth engaged in transactional sex, this analysis examined the associations between lifetime transactional sex and experience of violence among 13- to 24-year-old males. METHODS: Using data from two strata of the 2018 Violence Against Children and Youth Survey from Colombia, logistic regressions were used to estimate the association between engagement in transactional sex and violence exposure. Three groups of violence outcomes were examined: violence victimization, violence perpetration, and witnessing violence. RESULTS: Violence victimization and witnessing violence were widespread. Adolescent boys and young men with a lifetime history of transactional sex were significantly more likely to experience violence victimization than those without a lifetime history of transactional sex, particularly intimate partner violence (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 5.23 and 5.41) and caregiver emotional violence (aOR: 7.23 and 8.74). In the national and priority samples respectively, those with a lifetime history of transactional sex were also significantly more likely to witness violence within the home (aOR: 4.42 and 4.99) and outside of the home (aOR: 7.24 and 28.32). DISCUSSION: Although research is needed to determine causal pathways, our findings highlight the ubiquity of violence and the criticality of supporting this group of adolescent boys and young men. Interventions for those with a history of transactional sex should address factors that may contribute to drivers of violence and transactional sex.

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BACKGROUND: Research using the IPSCAN Child Abuse Screening Tool for Children (ICAST-C), has provided ample evidence of the magnitude of violence against children. Knowledge about its psychometric characteristics and validity is limited. Hence, our objective was to translate and culturally adapt the ICAST-C in adolescents from Mexico City and determine its psychometric properties. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: To determine the psychometric properties of the instrument 723 adolescents between 11 and 18 years of age from 9 public secondary schools in Mexico City participated. METHODS: The study was carried out in two phases: 1) translation and adaptation of the instrument (in 5 steps) and 2) pilot evaluation of the psychometric properties. Total and factor reliabilities were determined, Pearson correlation was used for temporal stability while construct validity was determined by Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and final adequacy of the items eliminated by the CFA. RESULTS: We developed the culturally relevant Mexican Spanish version of the ICAST-C. The CFA confirmed the six-factor structure hypothesis. To improve the original model we eliminated ten items, the final model showed good global fit indices (χ2(1310) = 2207.68, p < .01, χ2/df = 1.68; CFI =0.95; RMSEA = 0.02 [CI95% 0.02-0.03]; SRMR = 0.08). Total and factor reliabilities were adequate (Alpha = 0.79-0.92, r = 0.52-0.75), except for the non-violent discipline factor (Alpha = 0.59, r = 0.38). CONCLUSIONS: While these data suggest that this version of the ICAST-C is valid and reliable for adolescents in Mexico City public secondary schools, further research should evaluate the psychometric properties in a national sample.

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Violence against children (VAC) is a major global issue with long-lasting negative consequences on individuals and societies. The present study presents a review of the literature on drivers of VAC and the core components of evidence-based violence prevention programs. Moreover, it analyzes the existing services and social infrastructure in Colombia to rigorously inform the design of the Apapacho violence prevention parenting program for families with children younger than five targeted toward Colombia. Findings indicate that (1) VAC in Colombia is a multidimensional issue with roots at the individual, family, community, and society levels, (2) evidence-based violence prevention programs share a common set of content and delivery strategies that could inform the components of the Apapacho program, and (3) there is an urgent need for scalable and flexible violence prevention programs for families with young children in Colombia. Considering existing evidence, the Apapacho violence prevention parenting program will be designed using ecological, developmental, and neuroscience-informed perspectives. This article concludes by presenting the initial components of the theory of change and discussing future directions for the design of the Apapacho program and other violence prevention interventions in LMICs.

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Resumo: O artigo em questão tem como objetivo discutir sobre como tem se efetivado a intersetorialidade no atendimento à crianças e adolescentes em situação de violência intrafamiliar no Brasil, tendo como recorte um município na região noroeste do Paraná. Por meio de uma pesquisa de caráter documental, analisamos as atas das reuniões da rede de serviços públicos do município em pauta ocorridas entre os anos de 2013 a 2017. As atas revelaram que apesar da roupagem intersetorial, as ações na rede se dão de modo fragmentado por meio da divisão de tarefas ou competências, responsabilizando ainda, alguns serviços específicos pelo êxito ou não dos encaminhamentos previamente dados nas reuniões. Por ora, vemos que as práticas intersetoriais tem se efetivado, via políticas sociais, distantes daquilo que é proposto e que apesar das contradições estruturais da lógica dos direitos sociais, o desenvolvimento de um trabalho que cumpra o previsto pelas diretrizes, princípios e objetivos dessas políticas deve ser o foco do Estado.

Abstract: The present article aim to discuss about how intersectoriality has been implemented in the care of children and adolescents in situations of interfamily violence in Brazil, focused in a municipality in the northwest of Parana. Through a documental research, we analyzed the minutes of the municipality's public service network meetings that occurred between 2013 and 2017. The minutes showed that despite the intersectoral outlook, the network actions are fragmented through the division of tasks or skills, also holding responsible some specific services for the success or not of the referrals previously given in the meetings. For now, we see that intersectoral practices has been effected, through social policies, distant from what is proposed by them, and, despite the structural contradictions of the social rights logic, the development of a work that achieves what is predicted by guidelines, principles and objectives of these policies must be the focus of the State.

Resumen: El articulo presentado tiene como objetivo plantear una discusión sobre como se ha efectivado la intersectorialidad hacia la asistencia a niños, niñas y adolescentes en situación de violencia intrafamiliar en Brasil, centrándose en una ciudad del noroeste del estado de Paraná. Bajo una investigación documental, analizamos las actas de las reuniones de la red de servicios públicos que se desarrollaron entre los años 2013 hasta 2017. El análisis de las actas ha demostrado que, aunque exista una perspectiva intersectorial, las acciones en la red se desarrollan de una manera fragmentada por medio de la división de tareas o competencias y se otorgan determinados servicios específicos según el éxito, o no, de las referencias dadas previamente en las reuniones. Mientras tanto, vemos que se han implementado prácticas intersectoriales, por medio de políticas sociales, lejanas de lo que se propone. Reconocemos que - aunque haya contradicciones estructurales en la lógica de los derechos sociales - el desarrollo de un trabajo que cumpla con los lineamientos, principios y objetivos de estas políticas debe ser el foco del Estado.

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O Depoimento Especial - DE tornou-se o procedimento padrão de oitiva de crianças e adolescentes vítimas e testemunhas de violência no Brasil. Este trabalho objetivou a construção de um instrumento para a avaliação das condições de implementação do DE, a partir de quatro etapas: Na etapa 1 foi realizado um estudo qualitativo, para conhecer os aspectos que possibilitam e que dificultam a efetivação do DE, por meio de um questionário online respondido por 36 entrevistadores forenses brasileiros; Na etapa 2 construíram-se os itens do instrumento, com base na literatura e nos conteúdos previamente emergidos; Na etapa 3 ocorreu a estruturação e organização do instrumento; e na etapa 4, o conteúdo foi avaliado por dois juízes com ampla experiência prática e teórica. Essas etapas possibilitaram a qualificação e adequação do instrumento para avaliar as condições de realização do DE na realidade brasileira e pode contribuir para seu processo de implementação.

The Special Testimony - ST became the standard procedure for hearing children and adolescents victims and witnesses of violence in Brazil. This work aimed to construct an instrument for the evaluation of the conditions for the implementation of ST from four stages. In step 1, a qualitative study was carried out to know the aspects that enable and hinder the implementation through a questionnaire answered online by 36 Brazilian forensic interviewers. In stage 2 the instrument items were constructed, based on the literature and contents previously emerged; Step 3 refers to the structuring and organization of the instrument; and in step 4 the content evaluation was carried out by two judges with extensive practical and theoretical experience. These steps allowed the qualification and adequacy of the instrument to evaluate the conditions for performing the ST in Brazil and may contribute to the implementation.

El Testimonio Especial - TE se ha convertido en el procedimiento estándar para escuchar a niños y adolescentes víctimas y testigos de violencia en Brasil. El objetivo de este trabajo fue construir un instrumento para la evaluación de las condiciones para la implementación de TE a partir de cuatro etapas: En el paso 1, se realizó un estudio cualitativo para conocer los aspectos que permiten y dificultan la implementación a través de un cuestionario respondido en línea por 36 entrevistadores forenses. La etapa 2 se construyeron los ítems del instrumento, basada en la literatura y en contenidos surgidos anteriormente. En paso 3 el instrumento fue estructurado y organizado; y en el paso 4, el contenido fue evaluado por dos jueces con amplia experiencia práctica y teórica. Estos pasos permitieron la calificación y idoneidad del instrumento para evaluar las condiciones para realizar el TE en Brasil y pueden contribuir a implementación.

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BACKGROUND: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic childhood events associated with negative health outcomes. Limited data on ACEs exists from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). No ACEs studies have been done in Honduras. OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the prevalence of ACEs in Honduras and associated health risks and risk behaviors among young adults. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Data from the 2017 Honduras Violence Against Children and Youth Survey (VACS) were used. Analyses were restricted to participants ages 18-24 years (n = 2701). METHODS: This study uses nationally representative VACS data to estimate the weighted prevalence of ACEs (physical, emotional, and sexual violence; witnessing violence; parental migration). Logistic regression analyses assessed the relationship between individual ACEs, cumulative ACEs, and health risks and risk behaviors (psychological distress; suicide ideation or self-harm; binge drinking; smoking; drug use; STIs; early pregnancy). Chi-square tests examined differences by sex. RESULTS: An estimated 77 % of 18-24 year olds in Honduras experienced at least 1 ACE and 39 % experienced 3+ ACEs. Women experienced significantly more sexual, emotional, and physical violence compared to men. Compared to youth with no ACEs, those with 1-2 ACEs and 3+ ACEs had 1.8 and 2.8 increased odds for psychological distress, 2.3 and 6.4 increased odds for suicidal ideation and self-harm, and 1.7 and 1.9 increased odds for smoking, respectively, adjusting for age, education, and food insecurity. Physical violence victimization and witnessing violence in the community were associated with increased odds of all health risks and risk behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of ACEs and associated negative health risks and risk behaviors in this population support the need for prevention and early intervention for ACEs.

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BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic could increase violence against children at home. However, collecting empirical data on violence is challenging due to ethical, safety, and data quality concerns. OBJECTIVE: This study estimated the anticipated effect of COVID-19 on violent discipline at home using multivariable predictive regression models. PARTICIPANTS: Children aged 1-14 years and household members from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) conducted in Nigeria, Mongolia, and Suriname before the COVID-19 pandemic were included. METHODS: A conceptual model of how the COVID-19 pandemic could affect risk factors for violent discipline was developed. Country specific multivariable linear models were used to estimate the association between selected variables from MICS and a violent discipline score which captured the average combination of violent disciplinary methods used in the home. A review of the literature informed the development of quantitative assumptions about how COVID-19 would impact the selected variables under a "high restrictions" pandemic scenario, approximating conditions expected during a period of intense response measures, and a "lower restrictions" scenario with easing of COVID-19 restrictions but with sustained economic impacts. These assumptions were used to estimate changes in violent discipline scores. RESULTS: Under a "high restrictions" scenario there would be a 35%-46% increase in violent discipline scores in Nigeria, Mongolia and Suriname, and under a "lower restrictions" scenario there would be between a 4%-6% increase in violent discipline scores in these countries. CONCLUSION: Policy makers need to plan for increases in violent discipline during successive waves of lockdowns.

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A prevalência dos castigos físicos em crianças/adolescentes é muito elevada. Sua aceitação social é ampla, sendo que as legislações brasileiras criam brechas para sua ocorrência. Entre os cientistas, há dissenso quanto aos limites entre castigos e abusos físicos. O objetivo do presente estudo foi contribuir com as discussões nesse âmbito, buscando verificar se grupos de pais/responsáveis sem e com histórico de notificação ao sistema de proteção por abuso físico se diferenciariam quanto à forma de punir/castigar e quanto a variáveis psicossociais consideradas fatores de risco para abuso físico. A abordagem adotada no estudo foi quantitativa, com delineamento transversal e comparativo. Participaram do estudo pais/cuidadores que faziam utilização da punição corporal: 47 sem histórico de notificação e 40 com histórico de notificação por abuso físico. Os instrumentos utilizados para a coleta de dados foram: Questionário de Caracterização Sociodemográfica, Roteiro de Entrevista sobre Prática Parental, Inventário de Potencial de Maus-Tratos Infantil (Child Abuse Potential Inventory - CAP). Os pais notificados relataram punições corporais mais graves (ou seja, mais frequentes, mais gravosas e em regiões do corpo mais vulneráveis) e mais angústia, rigidez, infelicidade, problemas com a criança, problemas com os outros e solidão. Todavia, em ambos os grupos, segundo o reportado, a raiva moveria o ato de punir. Esses resultados reiteram a ideia de que todas as formas de punição física são maus-tratos (expressões de violência), pois decorrem das necessidades dos cuidadores ("descarga emocional"). Remetem, porém, a um fenômeno heterogêneo, em termos de gravidade e de fatores associados, que precisa ser assim considerado na proposição de programas de prevenção e de tratamento.(AU)

Physical punishment of children / adolescents is highly prevalent and socially accepted, with a series of loopholes in the Brazilian legislation that favor this practice. Scientists tend to disagree in regard to the limits between physical punishment and physical abuse. This study aimed to contribute to the discussions around this theme, verifying whether practices of physical punishment and psychosocial variables considered risk factors for physical abuse differ among parents / caregivers with and without history of physical abuse notifications to protection agencies. The study was conducted with parents / caregivers who adopt practices of corporal punishment, 47 of whom without and 40 with history of physical abuse notification. Data were collected by means of Characterization Questionnaire, Parental Practice Interview, and Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAP). Notified parents reported more severe corporal punishments (more frequent, more dangerous, in more vulnerable body regions) and more distress, severity, unhappiness, problems with the child and other people, and loneliness. Both groups reported that the act of punishing was moved by anger. These results reiterate the notion that all forms of physical punishment are maltreatment (expressions of violence) resulting from the needs of the caregivers ("emotional discharge"). However, these practices refer to a heterogeneous phenomenon in terms of severity and associated factors, which must be considered when proposing prevention and treatment programs.(AU)

Los castigos corporales de niños/adolescentes tiene una prevalencia muy elevada. Su aceptación social es amplia, y las legislaciones brasileñas no logran abarcar las puniciones adecuadas para esta práctica. No existe un consenso entre los científicos en cuanto a los límites entre punición corporal y maltrato físico. El objetivo del presente estudio fue contribuir con las discusiones sobre ese tema, verificando si grupos de padres/responsables sin y con antecedentes de notificación al Sistema de Protección por maltrato físico se diferenciarían en la forma de castigar/punir y en variables psicosociales consideradas factores de riesgo para maltrato físico. Este es un estudio cuantitativo, de tipo transversal y comparativo. Participaron en el estudio padres/cuidadores que hacían uso del castigo corporal: 47 sin antecedentes de notificación al sistema; 40 con antecedentes de notificación por maltrato físico. Los instrumentos utilizados para la recolección de datos fueron: Cuestionario de Datos Sociodemográficos, Entrevista sobre Práctica Parental, Inventario de Potencial de Maltrato Infantil (Child Abuse Potential Inventory - CAP). Los padres notificados reportaron castigos corporales más graves (es decir, más frecuentes, más graves, en regiones del cuerpo más vulnerables) y más angustia, rigidez, infelicidad, problemas con el niño, problemas con los demás y soledad. Según el reportado, en ambos grupos, la rabia movería el acto de castigar. Estos resultados reiteran la idea de que todas las formas de castigo físico son maltrato (manifestación de violencia), pues se derivan de las necesidades de los cuidadores ("descarga emocional"). Sin embargo, remiten a un fenómeno heterogéneo, en términos de gravedad y de factores asociados, que necesita considerarse en la propuesta de programas de prevención y de tratamiento.(AU)

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BACKGROUND: Violence against children is a pervasive public health issue, with limited data available across multiple contexts. This study explores the rarely studied prevalence and dynamics around disclosure, reporting and help-seeking behaviours of children who ever experienced physical and/or sexual violence. METHODS: Using nationally-representative Violence Against Children Surveys in six countries: Cambodia, Haiti, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria and Tanzania, we present descriptive statistics for prevalence of four outcomes among children aged 13-17 years: informal disclosure, knowledge of where to seek formal help, formal disclosure/help seeking and receipt of formal help. We ran country-specific multivariate logistic regressions predicting outcomes on factors at the individual, household and community levels. RESULTS: The prevalence of help-seeking behaviours ranged from 23 to 54% for informal disclosure, 16 to 28% for knowledge of where to seek formal help, under 1 to 25% for formal disclosure or help seeking, and 1 to 11% for receipt of formal help. Factors consistently correlated with promoting help-seeking behaviours included household number of adult females and absence of biological father, while those correlated with reduced help-seeking behaviours included being male and living in a female-headed household. Primary reasons for not seeking help varied by country, including self-blame, apathy and not needing or wanting services. CONCLUSIONS: Across countries examined, help-seeking and receipt of formal services is low for children experiencing physical and/or sexual violence, with few consistent factors identified which facilitated help-seeking. Further understanding of help seeking, alongside improved data quality and availability will aid prevention responses, including the ability to assist child survivors in a timely manner.

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Resumo Este artigo resulta de uma experiência de intervenção em saúde vivenciada no âmbito da Atenção Básica do município de Jaboatão dos Guararapes/PE. O objetivo foi, por meio da promoção de um espaço de educação permanente em saúde, aproximar os profissionais das equipes de Saúde da Família (eSF) das discussões sobre a violência contra crianças, de modo a viabilizar a construção de estratégias de enfrentamento. Como proposta metodológica, foram realizadas três oficinas de trabalho junto a profissionais vinculados a três eSF da Regional III do município. Os temas abordados nas oficinas envolveram o campo associativo da temática "violência contra crianças". Para apresentação e discussão dos resultados, realizou-se uma sistematização da experiência, a partir da qual foram definidas três linhas de análise apresentadas como campos de tensão revelados nos diálogos com os profissionais. Observa-se que diversos fatores dificultam o enfrentamento da violência contra crianças pelas eSF, dentre eles: a fragilidade da rede, a falta de preparo dos profissionais e a impotência na resolutividade dos casos. Como estratégia de enfrentamento, os profissionais ressaltam a importância da visita domiciliar. Contudo, um dos maiores instrumentos de combate à violência, a ficha de notificação, ainda é usada por poucos e desconhecida pela maioria. Conclui-se que ainda é grande a necessidade de se trabalhar a temática da violência contra crianças nas eSF, visto que a maior parte dos profissionais relata nunca haver participado de discussões sobre o tema, o que parece repercutir de maneira significativa em suas ações cotidianas.

Abstract This article is the result of a Primary Care health intervention experiment conducted in the municipality of Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Pernambuco. By promoting a Permanent Health Education space, we brought professionals of Family Health Strategy units (FHS) closer to the discussions on violence against children to facilitate the construction of coping strategies. As a methodological proposal, three workshops were held with professionals linked to three FHS from the III Region of the municipality. The topics covered in the workshops involved violence against children. For the presentation and discussion of the results, a systematization of the experience was performed from which three lines of analysis were defined and that we present as tension fields revealed in the dialogue with the professionals. We observed that several factors make it difficult to cope with violence against children among FHS, among them: the fragility of the network, the lack of preparation by the professionals, and the impotence in the resolution of cases. As a coping strategy, professionals emphasized the importance of home visits. However, one of the greatest tools to combat violence, the reporting form, is still used by few and unknown by the majority. There is still great need to work on the issue of violence against children in FHS, since most professionals report never having participated in discussions on this topic, which seems to have a significant repercussion on their daily actions.

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BACKGROUND: Research examining the interrelated drivers of household violence against women and violence against children is nascent, particularly in humanitarian settings. Gaps remain in understanding how relocation, displacement and ongoing insecurity affect families and may exacerbate household violence. METHODS: Employing purposive sampling, we used photo elicitation methods to facilitate semi-structured, in-depth interviews with female and male adolescents and adults aged 13-75 (n = 73) in two districts in Colombia from May to August of 2017. Participants were displaced and/or residing in neighborhoods characterized by high levels of insecurity from armed groups. RESULTS: Using inductive thematic analysis and situating the analysis within a feminist socioecological framework, we found several shared drivers of household violence. Intersections among drivers at all socioecological levels occurred among societal gender norms, substance use, attempts to regulate women's and children's behavior with violence, and daily stressors associated with numerous community problems. A central theme of relocation was of family compositions that were in continual flux and of family members confronted by economic insecurity and increased access to substances. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest interventions that systemically consider families' struggles with relocation and violence with multifaceted attention to socioecological intersections.

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BACKGROUND: In recent years, research has increasingly focused on examining the relationship between one type of child maltreatment -- emotional violence -- and suicidal behaviors. However, the growing body of empirical evidence supporting these associations has been mostly limited to high-income contexts. OBJECTIVE: This study examines how exposure to emotional violence is associated with suicide ideation in childhood and adolescence in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and whether this association differs by sex. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: We employ nationally representative samples of 13-24 year-old males and females from the Violence Against Children Surveys in Tanzania (conducted in 2009), Kenya (2010), and Haiti (2012). METHODS: We use logistic regressions to estimate the odds of ever reporting suicide ideation, separately, for each country; models control for self-reported exposure to emotional violence, physical violence from a caregiver, physical violence by an adult in the community, sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and age. Formal moderation by sex for each form of child maltreatment is tested using interaction terms. RESULTS: We find the odds of suicide ideation are consistently and significantly greater for adolescents who report ever exposure to emotional violence. This same consistency is not observed for any other form of maltreatment across countries. The size of the relationship between emotional violence and suicide ideation is statistically significantly larger for males in Kenya only. CONCLUSION: Research in LMICs should explore the mediating factors linking emotional abuse in childhood and adolescence to suicide ideation in adolescence, paying special attention to whether these pathways might operate differently by sex.

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