Evaluating a support program for children victim of domestic violence

Introduction Domestic violence against children has been a subject of concern to many Brazilian institutions, though there are few studies about the services offered to the community The aim of this study is to evaluate administrative and operational aspects of the SOS Crianca and provide insight to similar programs with comparative data. Methods A cross-sectional study of 976 data sheets of investigated cases until 1993 was conducted. Study variables were: characteristics of the support program required, proceedings to investigate reported cases, follow-up duration of reported cases, and referrals to other institutions. Results Our of 976 data sheets analyzed, 587 involved domestic violence against children: 38.7% cases of physical abuse, 27.7% of neglect, -26.3% of psychological abuse and 7.3% of sexual abuse. Most of the complaints (32.5%) came from family members of victimized children. The program's investigation process took between 126 to 212 days. Each investigated case demanded an average of 2.7 to 4.6 procedures. The majority of the cases (44.0%) were referred to a law court. This study emphasizes the need of a computerized database for optimizing the services provided and the victims' follow-up. It also suggests the need of ongoing staff training and development of broader and stronger connections to the social and health services.