Rio Grande do Norte recorded an increase of 1,19% in cases of violations of children's rights in the first half of 2022. The data, collected by the Santos Dumont Institute (ISD), from the Data Panel of the National Ombudsman for Human Rights of the Ministry of Women, Family and Human Rights (MDH), confirm the escalation of violence against children that has been recorded for at least two years in Brazil. RN follows a national trend of increasing cases of violations. Across the country, the first half of 2022 recorded an increase of 1,25% in these cases compared to the first half of the previous year, according to the platform. According to experts, this scenario has been reinforced by the context of growing socioeconomic vulnerability in Brazil since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In absolute numbers, RN had 4,911 violations registered until June 2022. In the same period of 2021, 2,235 cases were registered. Nationally, 98,035 violations were recorded in 2021, while 221,079 occurred in 2022 according to the federal platform. The number of violations was not the only one that showed growth: complaints in Rio Grande do Norte went from 555 in 2021 to 958 in 2022, an increase of 72.6%.

According to ISD social worker Alexandra Lima, a possible explanation for the increase in reports and violations is the relaxation of isolation measures, which has allowed children to have more contact with third parties, such as education professionals, friends or other family members. The increase in this socialization of potential victims allows attention to be paid to these cases and to reach the responsible agencies.

Violations of children's human rights consist of any interference committed against their physical and mental integrity, from physical abuse to the omission of care that would be necessary for the child to have a healthy development, explains Alexandra Lima. The cases of complaints and violations registered against this group, currently higher than the rates for adolescents and the elderly, arise in a broader context, which goes beyond the violence itself.

“Violence affects everyone, especially low-income people who are affected by other types of violence. This creates a cycle of violations that directly affects children and adolescents. We are seeing a growing number of families living in the outskirts of cities who are subject to urban violence. This can also affect coexistence and conflicts that arise within the family,” explains the social worker.

For the tutor, there are external factors related to relationships and conflicts within the structure of families themselves, caused by socioeconomic aspects and daily violence. These characteristics are reflected in the weakest link in this family nucleus, which is the child. This fragility exists because it is more difficult to have access to tools for identifying and requesting help from a third party in childhood, mainly because most cases occur within the family.

To ensure an effective response to this reality, it is necessary to ensure communication between the various sectors that will assist children in situations of violence, highlights social worker preceptor Alexandra Lima. “The services need to talk to each other, applying what is called intersectoral care, to have a perspective that encompasses the context in which the child and their family are inserted, so that this family is assisted in a way that the violation, whether against the child and adolescent, or against other family members, stops”, says Alexandra.

Children's Day 

Children's Day, celebrated on August 24, is an important date to learn about society's role in protecting this group. According to the Child and Adolescent Statute (ECA), it is everyone's duty to reinforce care for children and adolescents. Anyone who is nearby and has information about cases of violence should report it with as much information as possible: name or nickname of the child, who is responsible and address with a reference point, so that the responsible teams can reach the child in a situation of violence and can begin the necessary care to remove him or her from this situation.

According to the ECA, any person under the age of 12 is considered a child. According to ISD preceptor Alexandra Lima, within this age range there are two groups that suffer different forms of violation: those in early childhood, up to 6 years old, and those closer to adolescence.

“In the 0 to 3 age group, for example, there is much more negligence and lack of care. When children are not yet able to complain and do not have discernment about what they need for their well-being and survival, there are many cases of omission, such as not bathing them, not taking them to the doctor or not giving them food. Older children, on the other hand, know that the person responsible has to give them food, take them to school… So they will question using another form of communication, and this can result in physical violence,” he explains.

In many cases, violations vary according to what the child expresses, how they express it, and how much they are able to understand the situation they are in. Therefore, considering the impossibility of autonomy and discernment of many children, it is important, as a society, to maintain an alert look – whether it be neighbors, family, schools, or health units, to ensure the protection of this population.

How to report 

If you notice that a child is suffering violence, mistreatment, or omission of some kind, report it through anonymous reporting channels, such as Disque 100, which is free, or through specialized bodies, such as the Guardianship Council, the Municipal Council for the Rights of Children and Adolescents and the Child and Adolescent Defense Police Station.

Below, we list the channels and contacts for customer service and complaints.

For anonymous reports, dial 100

Specialized Police Station for the Defense of Children and Adolescents in RN

(84) 3232-6184

Natal North Zone Guardianship Council

(84) 3232-7789

Natal South Zone Guardianship Council

(84) 3232-8458

Parnamirim Guardianship Council

(84) 3644-8326

Municipal Council for the Rights of Children and Adolescents – Natal

(84) 3223-3333

Municipal Council for the Rights of Children and Adolescents – Parnamirim

(84) 3644-8327