Campaign intensifies battle against sexual violence targeting children

In Brazil, three children suffer abuse every hour, with 51 percent of victims falling between the ages of 1 and 5. These figures stem from the May Orange Campaign, which strives to raise awareness about the sexual abuse and exploitation faced by children and adolescents. The violence primarily occurs within the home, perpetrated by individuals close to the victims.

The National Day to Confront Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children and Adolescents, on May 18, aims to increase society’s awareness about the need to confront this violence at all levels. Instituted in remembrance of 8-year-old Araceli Crespo, who was kidnapped, raped, and murdered in Espírito Santo state 50 years ago, the day serves as a solemn reminder of the urgent need to address and combat such atrocities.

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Psychologist Amanda Pinheiro Said, from the Federal District’s Health Secretariat, emphasizes the complexity of sexual abuse concerning children and adolescents, primarily due to the involvement of individuals known to the family. These cases are commonly referred to as intra-family abuses, where the perpetrators are often close acquaintances or non-blood relatives, such as trusted family friends, or neighbors. As a result, most of these incidents occur within the victims’ homes. Addressing this type of violence poses significant challenges, making it one of the most difficult aspects to tackle in combating such abuse.

Dialogue

Amanda Said stresses the importance of dialogue with minors as a mechanism for preventing abuse: “It is necessary to talk, for example, about the body of the child and adolescent, who may touch them, who may not. There are several ways to approach this, depending on the child’s age group.”