Study shows persistence of violence against children in Brazil

The use of physical and verbal violence against children remains a widespread practice in Brazilian culture, even though most consider dialogue the best way to guide their children. The findings come from a survey conducted by poller Quaest at the request of the Infinis, an organization that works to defend the rights of children and adolescents and strengthen societal representation in Brazil.

Extreme cases, such as that of a father caught kicking his three-year-old daughter on a street in the city of Francisco Beltrão, Paraná state, are the exception. Even so, in the first four months of 2026 alone, 115,814 reports of violations of the rights of children and adolescents were recorded. Currently, approximately 55 million people under the age of 18 live in Brazil.

According to the survey, nine out of ten respondents believe that dialogue is the best way to correct children’s behavior. Despite this, 62 percent said they had yelled at a child, 49 percent said they had slapped a child, and 27 percent admitted to hitting a child with objects. The study did not investigate the causes of this discrepancy or the influence of factors such as daily stress or the use of psychoactive substances.

“Understanding these perceptions is key to breaking the intergenerational cycle of violence and guiding public prevention policies. Every child protected today means less violence tomorrow,” Márcia Kalvon, executive director of Infinis, said in a statement.

Violence against children, the researchers note, spans generations and tends to be replicated by those who have experienced similar situations.

The survey

This was the second edition of the survey, entitled Atitudes e percepções sobre a infância e violência contra crianças e adolescentes (“Attitudes and Perceptions Regarding Childhood and Violence Against Children and Adolescents”).

In the first edition, conducted in 2023, the paradox was already evident – while 93 percent of the population advocated for dialogue as the best form of discipline, 66 percent admitted to having yelled at a child, 52 percent had slapped a child, and 38 percent acknowledged having used objects to hit a child.

Although aggressive behaviors remain common, the survey points to a reduction in assaults involving objects, which are considered potentially more serious.

The survey, which interviewed 2,202 Brazilian adults from May to June 2026, also sought to understand how people behave when witnessing acts of violence. Two-thirds of respondents (62%) said they do not intervene. Of these, half do not consider it appropriate to intervene because it is a private matter.

The rest stated they were afraid of the aggressor’s reaction, as occurred in the case reported in Paraná, where a father threatened a person who questioned the assault.

Child labor

The study also addressed perceptions of child labor. Even though 93 percent of respondents stated that education should be a priority for children, 61 percent consider it acceptable for them to work. In addition, 88 percent support adolescents working if they wish to, and 71 percent believe they should work when their parents decide.

Another finding from the survey is that 71 percent of respondents were unable to name any child protection laws, even after recent public debates, such as those concerning the Digital Statute of the Child and Adolescent.