Demenech Lauro Miranda, Paludo Simone Dos Santos, Silva Priscilla Dos Santos da, Paiva Alice Monte Negro de, Fontes Fernanda, Neiva-Silva Lucas
Centro de Estudos sobre Risco e Saúde (CERIS), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG). Av. Itália, km 8, Carreiros. 96203-900 Rio Grande RS Brasil.
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, FURG. Rio Grande RS Brasil.
Cien Saude Colet. 2021 Nov;26(11):5701-5710. doi: 10.1590/1413-812320212611.31052020. Epub 2020 Sep 10.
The scope of this study was to investigate the prevalence of sexual exploitation of homeless children and adolescents living on the streets, as well as characteristics associated with this outcome. In this cross-sectional investigation, carried out in the municipalities of Rio Grande and Porto Alegre-RS, data were collected through interviews, which were conducted by trained interviewers. The Respondent-Driven Sampling (RDS) strategy was adopted and statistical analyses were conducted using Poisson regression with robust adjustment of variance. The sample included 186 children and adolescents between 10 and 17 years of age, of which 8% reported having been subjected to sexual exploitation. Being 16 to 17 years old, having had forced sexual intercourse and not having bonds with school were characteristics independently associated with this outcome. It was observed that the lack of contact with school increased the probability 16-fold of having suffered sexual exploitation, being considered the main risk factor in this study. The proposition is that the inclusion and permanence of homeless children and adolescents living on the streets into schools might significantly reduce the risk of sexual exploitation of this population group.
