Testimony without harmful effects: full protection of the child victim of intrafamilial sexual abuse

Testimony without harmful effects: full protection of the child victim of intrafamilial sexual abuse

portugais: Depoimento sem dano: proteção integral da criança vítima de abuso sexual intrafamiliar

Introduction: intrafamilial sexual abuse of children is a social and public health problem. The investigation of crimes of this nature shows widespread and often irreversible psychological harm to the victims. The harmful effects arise from the act itself as well as the absence of special care for children, whose development is gradual and whose condition of being subjects with rights is often ignored. Interdisciplinary coordination among the fields of Law, Psychology, and Social Work is essential to reduce the extent of the damage. The coordination of these areas of expertise when put into practice leads to the non-victimization of the child. This interdisciplinary effort has gained prominence in the discussions of children’s rights, and the possibility of its implementation in the project “Testimony without harmful effects” (DSD, acronym in Portuguese). Objective: to analyze the DSD (Depoimento Sem Dano) from the perspective of the full protection of the child. Methods: a qualitative approach, with a literature review, legislation review and semi-structured interviews. Results: there was a shortage of national literature on DSD. The interviews enabled the designation of four categories based on the analysis of the different points of view of DSD according to those interviewed: the actions of the legal professionals and the care for children; the need for change in the dynamic of listening to the child victim; positivity of the “DSD” project proposal; the effectiveness of the technique. Discussion: the most characteristic aspects of intrafamilial sexual abuse of children justify the use of the DSD technique and its integrative phases. Conclusion: there is an imminent need for an extensive discussion of the guarantee of and effectiveness of the human rights of the child victim of intrafamilial sexual abuse, of the child victim’s treatment and of listening to the child in a judicial proceeding. Dialogue among the different areas of expertise involved in the protection of the child is essential for the effective success of new possibilities.

Life-span and Life-course Studies

Child sexual abuse, Child advocacy, Protection, Sexual violence, Domestic violence