In the first quarter of 2023, the number of complaints of human rights violations in the 0-17 age group increased by 65% in Rio Grande do Norte, compared to the first three months of 2022. In 2022, the state had registered 483 complaints. In 2023, there were 800 calls received. In the same period, the group of children and adolescents presented the highest number of complaints in relation to other vulnerable groups, representing 35% of complaints in the first quarter of 2023. The data, from the Data Panel of the National Ombudsman for Human Rights, highlight the need to increase awareness and actions on the fight against violence against children and adolescents and to adopt this issue as a social responsibility for all.

The month of May marks, on the 18th, the National Day to Combat Abuse and Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents. Through the Make Beautiful Campaign, joint actions are carried out throughout the country that unite families, educators, civil society, the media and other agents in their commitment to combating sexual violence. The campaign disseminates acts that strengthen the participation and protagonism of children and adolescents, establishes articulation with city halls and governments and health education actions in institutions, services and organizations throughout Brazil.

In Macaíba, in Rio Grande do Norte, one of the participants in the activities of the Faça Bonito Campaign is the Santos Dumont Institute (ISD), located in the rural area of the municipality. The ISD is part of the care and health care network for people in situations of sexual violence and has provided, since 2016, outpatient care involving professionals from various areas. ISD's social worker preceptor, Alexandra Lima, considers two main points in the fight against violence against children and adolescents: health care and continuing education.

“At ISD, we work with medicine, pharmacy, psychology, social service and nursing professionals, both in acute situations, which occurred less than 72 hours ago, and in chronic situations, which occurred more than 72 hours ago. It is not enough to respond only to emergencies, follow-up is also important. We have aspects that need to be worked on so that the child or adolescent can deal with the situation that happened, so that in the future they can carry on with their lives without major consequences”, explains Alexandra Lima.

The professional considers that there is still a difficulty for the effective action of the health sectors, due to the fact that most cases happen in the domestic sphere. According to the Human Rights Ombudsman Panel, in the first half of 2023 in RN, 79% (639 out of 804) of allegations of violence against children and adolescents took place in the house where the person in a situation of violence resides.

“Being violence in the domestic environment, there is a lot of pact of silence, threats, and this aggressor is sometimes not denounced within the family because of the fear that people have of causing a rupture in domestic relations. When a neighbor, a teacher, someone who is external, notices and begins to suspect this violence, he is already liable to file a complaint”, points out the ISD social worker.

Health awareness and education actions contribute mainly to the understanding that the fight against violence against children and adolescents is everyone's role, and that denunciation is a duty and social responsibility. The omission, according to Alexandra, is as harmful as committing the crime.

Therefore, it is the duty of the family, the State and the community, when there is any information, to file a complaint and ensure that specialized services reach these families. Dial 100, the Military Police, the Tutelary Council and the Specialized Reference Center for Social Assistance (CREAS) are some of the entities and services that work directly with the family in monitoring and following up on the violation.

“We have to keep in mind that we still have a lot to do in terms of prevention and work with the family. Teaching children from an early age to take care of themselves, to have an understanding of who can or cannot touch their body, are important information that families must have clearly, because the first educators are the family members. If there is this awareness, we manage to minimize and avoid it. Unfortunately, we have no way of being 100% vigilant, but we can prepare the professionals who will deal with the child at school, in health and in other areas, so that everyone can recognize signs that the child or adolescent is suffering some type of violence, especially sexual violence,” points out social worker Alexandra Lima.

Make it Beautiful Campaign

The National Day to Combat Abuse and Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents completes 23 years of existence in 2023. This year also marks 50 years of the murder of the girl Araceli Crespo, an event that motivated the choice of date. The goal is to highlight the date to mobilize, raise awareness, inform and call on society as a whole to participate in the defense of the rights of children and adolescents, to ensure that every child and adolescent has the right to their development in a safe and protected way, free from abuse and of sexual exploitation.

The campaign is convened by the National Committee to Combat Sexual Violence against Children and Adolescents and by the Ecpat Brasil Network. In addition to health services, organizations and institutions from all over the country, the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship and the National Council for the Rights of Children and Adolescents, among others, also participate.