Sexual Violence: health and public security integration in immediate attending to the victim

Abstract

To compare the proportion and the characteristics of the immediate attending rate performed in sexual violence victims, before and after the introduction of the Integrated Actions Protocol to Care Victims of Sexual Violence, involving the Public Health and Public Security areas, at the Conjunto Hospitalar de Sorocaba. A research was undertaken with data from the epidemiological files, between April 2003 and March 2004, during six months in each period, analyzing the victim characteristics, relationship with the aggressor and the indication of medicinal prophylaxis. In 211 notifications, it was observed that the attending was four times higher after the implantation of this integrated action. Women younger than 18 years old were most of the victims, in both periods. The processes dealt by Police Station or Judiciary Councils, increased significantly in the second period, in which, the known aggressors showed to be the majority and the knowledge of their anti-HIV serology allowed victim anti-retroviral prophylaxis interruption. It was concluded that the integration among the Public Health and Public Security sectors is essential for sexual violence victims, to receive, as soon as possible, the assistance in the Public Health area, focusing on the prevention of the sequels that threaten their physical and emotional integrity. This integrated action allows the aggressor's identification sooner as possible and consequently to know their anti-HIV serology in order to reduce anti-retroviral chemoprophylaxis use to the victims.