From percentages to narratives: Giving silence a voice in child sexual abuse within the Portuguese Catholic Church, 1950-2022.

BACKGROUND: Over the last two decades, several studies have examined the extent and expression of child sexual abuse (CSA) in religious institutions. In 2021, following new Vatican guidelines and under intense public pressure, the Portuguese Episcopal Conference commissioned a study on CSA in Portugal by members of the Portuguese Catholic Church (PCC) and others associated with it (from 1950 to 2022). OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: The study draws on a web-based survey and a respondent driven sample. The questionnaire included categorical questions about victims, abusers, types of abuse, and open-ended questions. We characterized victims and abusers and developed a social cartography of abuse using Correspondence Analysis. Victims' narratives are also part of the model of analysis. RESULTS: We validated 512 of CSA by members of the PCC. Boys were more frequently abused (57.2 % vs. 42.2 %); male abusers predominate (96.7 %); most victims were abused more than once (57 %); the average age of victims when the first abuse occurred was 11.2 years. More invasive forms of abuse predominate (80 % manipulation of sexual organs or penetration; only 20 % had no body touching). There are patterns of abuse, and space plays a pivotal role in understanding the forms that CSA takes within Catholic environments. The richness of individual narratives was an unexpected outcome that enables us to better understand the organisational and symbolical power structures in which abuse takes place. CONCLUSION: Given the characteristics of our sample, these cases are the tip of the iceberg, with CSA within the PCC likely involved thousands of children. Further research should strive to consider victims' narratives.

Trust matters: The Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy in Europe Study.

This article presents the design of a seven-country study focusing on childhood vaccines, Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy in Europe (VAX-TRUST), developed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study consists of (a) situation analysis of vaccine hesitancy (examination of individual, socio-demographic and macro-level factors of vaccine hesitancy and analysis of media coverage on vaccines and vaccination and (b) participant observation and in-depth interviews of healthcare professionals and vaccine-hesitant parents. These analyses were used to design interventions aimed at increasing awareness on the complexity of vaccine hesitancy among healthcare professionals involved in discussing childhood vaccines with parents. We present the selection of countries and regions, the conceptual basis of the study, details of the data collection and the process of designing and evaluating the interventions, as well as the potential impact of the study. Laying out our research design serves as an example of how to translate complex public health issues into social scientific study and methods.

Analysis of contextual variables in the evaluation of child abuse in the pediatric emergency setting / Análise das variáveis contextuais na avaliação dos maus-tratos infantis a partir da realidade de uma urgência pediátrica

Abstract Objective: This article comprises a sample of abuse modalities observed in a pediatric emergency room of a public hospital in the Lisbon metropolitan area and a multifactorial characterization of physical and sexual violence. The objectives are: (1) to discuss the importance of social and family variables in the configuration of both types of violence; (2) to show how physical and sexual violence have subtypes and internal diversity. Methods: A statistical analysis was carried out in a database (1063 records of child abuse between 2004 and 2013). A form was applied to cases with suspected abuse, containing data on the child, family, abuse episode, abuser, medical history, and clinical observation. A factorial analysis of multiple correspondence was performed to identify patterns of association between social variables and physical and sexual violence, as well as their internal diversity. Results: The prevalence of abuse in this pediatric emergency room was 0.6%. Physical violence predominated (69.4%), followed by sexual violence (39.3%). Exploratory profiles of these types of violence were constructed. Regarding physical violence, the gender of the abuser was the first differentiating dimension; the victim's gender and age range were the second one. In the case of sexual violence, the age of the abuser and co-residence with him/her comprised the first dimension; the victim's age and gender comprised the second dimension. Conclusion: Patterns of association between victims, family contexts, and abusers were identified. It is necessary to alert clinicians about the importance of social variables in the multiple facets of child abuse.

Resumo Objetivo: Este artigo apresenta uma casuística de modalidades de maus-tratos numa urgência pediátrica (UP) de um hospital público na área metropolitana de Lisboa e uma caracterização multifatorial da violência física e violência sexual. Os objetivos são: 1) discutir a importância de variáveis sociais e familiares na configuração de ambos; 2) mostrar como violência física e violência sexual apresentam subtipos e diversidade interna. Métodos: Fez-se uma análise estatística de uma base de dados (1.063 registos de maus-tratos infantis, entre 2004-2013). Usou-se o formulário aplicado a casos com suspeita de maus-tratos, com dados sobre a criança, família, episódio de maus-tratos, agressor, história médica e observação clínica. Foi feita uma análise fatorial de correspondências múltiplas para identificar padrões de associação entre variáveis sociais e violência, física e sexual, bem como sua diversidade interna. Resultados: A prevalência de maus-tratos nessa UP foi de 0,6%. Predominam a violência física (69,4%) e a violência sexual (39,3%). Perfis exploratórios desses tipos foram construídos. Quanto à violência física, o sexo do agressor estrutura a primeira dimensão diferenciadora; sexo e grupo etário da vítima estruturam a segunda. No caso da violência sexual, a idade do agressor e corresidência com ele estruturam a primeira dimensão; idade e sexo das vítimas organizam a segunda dimensão. Conclusão: Identificaram-se padrões de associação entre vítimas, contextos familiares e agressores. É necessário alertar os clínicos para a importância das variáveis sociais nas múltiplas faces que os maus-tratos assumem.

Analysis of contextual variables in the evaluation of child abuse in the pediatric emergency setting.

OBJECTIVE: This article comprises a sample of abuse modalities observed in a pediatric emergency room of a public hospital in the Lisbon metropolitan area and a multifactorial characterization of physical and sexual violence. The objectives are: (1) to discuss the importance of social and family variables in the configuration of both types of violence; (2) to show how physical and sexual violence have subtypes and internal diversity. METHODS: A statistical analysis was carried out in a database (1063 records of child abuse between 2004 and 2013). A form was applied to cases with suspected abuse, containing data on the child, family, abuse episode, abuser, medical history, and clinical observation. A factorial analysis of multiple correspondence was performed to identify patterns of association between social variables and physical and sexual violence, as well as their internal diversity. RESULTS: The prevalence of abuse in this pediatric emergency room was 0.6%. Physical violence predominated (69.4%), followed by sexual violence (39.3%). Exploratory profiles of these types of violence were constructed. Regarding physical violence, the gender of the abuser was the first differentiating dimension; the victim's gender and age range were the second one. In the case of sexual violence, the age of the abuser and co-residence with him/her comprised the first dimension; the victim's age and gender comprised the second dimension. CONCLUSION: Patterns of association between victims, family contexts, and abusers were identified. It is necessary to alert clinicians about the importance of social variables in the multiple facets of child abuse.

[Child abuse in the family]. / Os maus tratos às crianças na família.

The objective of this study is to carry out a current survey of the situation of child abuse in the family. It is based on a national survey conducted in 1996, which was addressed to childcare professionals (in the areas of health, education and social services). This survey was based, on the one hand, on a wide-ranging definition of child abuse, including within it not just active forms of physical and psychic violence against the child, but also forms of (both material and affective) privation, omission or negligence which affect the child's growth and development. On the other hand, this study also favoured a contextual approach to child abuse. 1,126 institutions in Portugal were contacted and 755 valid survey responses were received. This report outlines some of the results obtained, namely by providing a description of the sample of the 755 child abuse victims, the respective social and family contexts to which they and the aggressors belong, as well as the types of abuse which have been committed against them; and a typology of forms of abuse and negligence, describing not just the internal aspects that make up child abuse directly, but also its relationship to the child's social and family contexts of belonging. The typology was derived from the statistical handling of the data gathered (factorial analysis of multiple matches, followed by a hierarchical analysis into clusters). A number of key concepts are summarised in the conclusion. Children of all age groups and of both sexes, and from all types of families and social backgrounds, regardless of their place in the phratry, are subject to abuse in Portugal. But different types of abuse and negligence are associated with the contexts to which the children and their families belong. Healthcare professionals are irreplaceable when it comes to detecting the wide variety of types of child abuse, and are an essential look-out post for two types of abuse which often slip through the net of other professionals: abuse of the embryo, foetus or new-born child, and sexual abuse. In Portugal the existence of various forms of poverty (whether in material or educational terms), and the lack of family support services and mechanisms, are of particular significance. And tied in with this structural aspect there is the significant factor of alcoholism, which in the sample under investigation is statistically much more significant than drug addiction.