Bioethics and epidemiological aspects of sexual violence victims in maternity wards

Abstract

The everyday violence appears as the representative aspect of social life. Sexual abuse is a public health problem requiring early detection, treatment and monitoring to minimize the sequelae. The article aims at reviewing the epidemiological and bioethical aspects of sexual abuse and its prevalence, by means of retrospective and analytical study of the Social Service records in Maternity Hospital through parameters: gender, age, knowledge of the offender, marital status, physical trauma, interval between the act and service, location, and victim\s occupation. The results point that rape was the predominant offense and the majority occurred in streets. Vaginal penetration was the most frequent type, while genital stimulation and known abuser were most common in children. Profile detailing, at conclusion, could improve strategies to prevent such occurrences, to enhance guidance and treatment programs and effective intervention, since the degree of exposure to violence is variable