Violence against children in Brazil rises over 120% in 5 years
Reports of violence against children and adolescents more than doubled over the decade in Brazil, according to data from the Ministry of Health. In 2020, the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN) received 73,635 reports, rising to 165,413 in 2025, a 125 percent increase.
The data were analyzed by the São Paulo Association for the Development of Medicine (SPDM) and released on Tuesday (Jun. 30). According to the study, from 2020 to 2025, SINAN recorded a total of 685,629 reports involving victims aged 0 to 18.
The vast majority of reports were filed on behalf of girls. While boys accounted for 38 percent of cases, girls and female adolescents represented 62 percent of the victims. Regarding racial background, 49.1 percent of the victims were classified as mixed-race, 35.7 percent as white, and 7.6 percent as black.
Sexual violence was the most frequent type of abuse, accounting for 34 percent of the reports. It was followed by cases of neglect and abandonment at 33.3 percent, and physical violence at 32.9 percent.
The study highlights that the home is where most cases of abuse occur. The victim’s mother was identified as the abuser in 34 percent of cases, while the father was involved in 26 percent of the reported incidents.
When analyzed by age group, adolescence accounts for 43 percent of reported cases, with 294,010 records. Early childhood (up to age 6) accounted for 256,601 cases (37.5%), while late childhood (ages 7 to 12) accounted for 135,018 cases (20%).
National trends
According to psychiatrist and SPDM President Ronaldo Laranjeira, the volume of reports indicates that violence against children and adolescents remains a serious and persistent problem in Brazil.
“When a child or adolescent is a victim of violence, the impacts can extend beyond the moment of the assault and last a lifetime. These include physical, emotional, social, and educational consequences that can compromise development and increase future vulnerability. For this reason, it is essential to strengthen integrated efforts among the health, social services, education and justice systems,” stated Laranjeira.
During the period analyzed, all regions of Brazil recorded an increase in reported cases. The states of São Paulo, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, and Minas Gerais together accounted for 52 percent of all reported cases over the period.
The Northeast led the ranking in terms of percentage change with a 1,200 percent increase, followed by the North (809%), the Central-West (508%), the South (421%), and the Southeast (221%).
According to SPDM, the results underscore the importance of ongoing professional training to enable the early identification of signs of violence, strengthen protection networks, and expand prevention efforts targeting families and communities.
*Intern at Agência Brasil under the supervision of Odair Braz Junior.
