title: Child and adolescent abuse in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, 2009.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the profile of the reports of child and adolescent abuse in the state of São Paulo in 2009, and to analyze possible associated factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 4,085 reports regarding children and adolescents younger than 15 years recorded by the Domestic, Sexual, and Other Interpersonal Violence Surveillance System (Sistema de Vigilância de Violência Doméstica, Sexual e Outras Violências Interpessoais - VIVA) were analyzed using a logistic regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The females comprised 61.4% of the total cases. The most common age group among females was 10 to 14 years (38.8%) and among males was < 5 years (35.8%). Physical abuse accounted for 43.3% of cases in males, and sexual abuse cases accounted for 41.7% of cases in females. The main perpetrators of the abuse were parents (43.8% of the total) and acquaintances (29.4%). Male aggressors were 72.0% of the total. The abuse occurred at home in 72.9% of cases; repeated abuse was reported in 51.4% of cases. Differences between the cases of physical and sexual abuse: a) physical abuse - mostly males (50.9%), parents as perpetrators (48.4%), and women as perpetrators (42.8%), b) sexual abuse - mostly females (77.2%), known aggressors (48.4%), and men as perpetrators (96.1%). Variables associated with physical abuse: male gender (OR: 2.22), age 10-14 years (OR: 1.68), and parents as perpetrators (OR: 2.50). Sexual abuse was associated with female gender (OR: 2.84), age 5-9 years (OR: 1.66), and unknown authors (OR: 1.53).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Public policies should guarantee that children and adolescents have a healthy and violence-free life. The analysis of the notifications is an important tool to establish prevention strategies.
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. gawry@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Vilma Pinheiro
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Gawryszewski
authors.forename: Dalva Maria de Oliveira
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Valencich
authors.forename: Cláudia Vieira
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Carnevalle
authors.forename: Luiz Francisco
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Marcopito
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D017678:Sex Distribution