About the topic
Violence against children and adolescents remains a serious, structural and persistent problem in Brazil, manifesting in multiple forms and affecting disproportionately populations in situations of greater social vulnerability. As defined by the World Health Organization
within the INSPIRE technical package, it is the intentional use of physical force or power, actual or threatened, against children and adolescents, that results in, or has a high likelihood of resulting in, injury, death, psychological harm, developmental harm or deprivation.
In this sense, violence must be recognised as a public health problem, given its broad and long-lasting impact, shaped by historical inequalities, cultural norms and institutional weaknesses, which undermines fundamental rights and profoundly affects the full development of girls and boys. Evidence indicates that exposure to violence is associated with a wide range of lifelong health consequences, including mental health problems, increased risk of chronic diseases, infections, risk behaviours, poor school performance, and social and economic difficulties.
Despite the magnitude of the problem, there are still significant gaps in the production and systematisation of data, as well as in generating evidence on effective prevention and protection interventions in the Brazilian context. This lack of qualified information hinders the formulation of evidence-based public policies and the implementation of strategies capable of addressing violence in a structural and sustainable way.
The available data, however, already reveal an alarming scenario. In 2025, more than 33,000 cases of abuse against children were recorded, with 93% of assaults committed by the victims’ own family members, according to the Brazilian Public Security Forum (FBSP). These figures show that the home environment, which should be a space of care and protection, is often the main setting where violence occurs.
The normalisation of violent practices in the education and care of children and adolescents worsens this situation. A recent study (FJLS et al., 2023) indicates that 52% of the population admit to having slapped children or adolescents, and 38% state they have used objects to assault them, revealing how physical violence is still socially tolerated and legitimised in many contexts, despite its proven harmful impacts.
Sexual violence also reaches particularly serious proportions. In 2024, children and adolescents were the main group of rape victims in the country, with nearly one third of victims aged between 10 and 13 (FBSP, 2025). This figure underscores the extreme vulnerability
of this age group and the urgency of integrated actions for prevention, protection and accountability.
At Infinis, we are committed to protecting against and preventing all forms of violence against children and adolescents, expanding responses and contributing to building a fairer and more protective society for these social groups.
