Characterization of cases of notification of sexual violence against children and adolescents by municipalities in the state of paraná between the years 2011 and 2021

Violence is a global public health concern and affects different stages of life, however, in the case of children and adolescents it is more worrying considering the vulnerability of this age group. The objective of this study was to investigate sexual violence committed against children and adolescents in the municipalities of Paraná between 2011 and 2021 through the analysis of notification forms for interpersonal and/or self-inflicted violence (SINAN). Rates were calculated per 100,000 children and adolescents, with the study variables being the municipalities of the State of Paraná and the sex of the victims. The results indicate that girls suffer, on average, 5 times more sexual violence than boys. The municipalities bordering Paraguay, Mercedes and Foz do Iguaçu, as well as the municipality of Pato Branco presented high rates for both girls and boys, which indicates the need for more studies in these territories. There was a high number of missing notifications, with 14.7% of municipalities (n=59) not reporting any sexual violence in the 11 years of analysis.