El maltrato infantil en España: un estudio a través de los expedientes de menores

Resumen

Una de las fuentes más importantes de información sobre los malos tratos a menores son los archivos que obran en poder de los Servicios de Protección de Menores. En esta investigación se revisaron los expedientes abiertos en los años 1991 y 1992 en todas las Comunidades Autónomas del Estado Español, lo que supone una cifra de 32.483 archivos. Se detectaron 8.565 niños y niñas maltratados, lo que supone una media anual del 0,44 por mil de la población infantil española. La mayor parte de los menores se veían afectados por la Negligencia (79,1%). El Maltrato Emocional (42,5%) y el Maltrato Físico (30,1%) suponen el segundo y tercer tipo más frecuentes, respectivamente. La cifra de niños maltratados, por otro lado, es ligeramente superior a la de niñas (52,3% y 47,7%, respectivamente). El estudio ha incluido un análisis más detallado de cada una de las categoryías de maltrato que ha permitido perfilar aún más cada una de ellas de acuerdo con la forma que adopta el maltrato, la edad del menor y su género, así como el dispositivo o informante que pone la situación en conocimiento de los servicios de protección. También se pone de manifiesto cierta disparidad entre Comunidades Autónomas en la tasa de maltrato detectado.

Abstract

The study investigated the incidence of abuse in a total of 32,483 Child Protection Services case files opened during 1991–92 across Spanish regional administrations. Results indicate that 8,565 children had suffered some form of abuse, representing an annual average of 0.44 per thousand. Although there are marked difference between regions, overall most frequent were cases of neglect (79%), emotional abuse (42.5%), and physical abuse (30%). Boys were more often the victim than girls (52% and 47.7%). A high percentage of cases are detected—mostly by community social services—in children under one year while there is a sharp decrease in children over 13 years. A detailed analysis of each category of abuse was carried out in order to define each one in greater detail. Particular attention was paid to: the specific type of abuse, child's age and gender, and how the case came to be detected.

Extended Summary

Child protection services' records are one of the most important sources of information about child abuse. This investigation studied case files opened during 1991 and 1992 throughout Spanish Autonomous Communities (regional administrations). The total number amounted to 32,483 case files. In each case, the presence or absence of abuse to the child was registered, and where documental evidence was provided, we collected additional information about: the child's characteristics, his/her family and social environment, and various aspects of the administration's actions. Categories of child abuse included in the study were Physical Abuse, Negligence, Emotional Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Mendicity, Corruption, Under-age Work and Prenatal Abuse. Within each type, the particular form it adopted in each case was also recorded.

8,565 children were found to have suffered abuse. This figure represents an annual average of 0.44 per thousand of Spanish children. Although in most Autonomous Communities the percentage of children affected is similar, in other such as: Cataluña, Extremadura, Madrid, and Valencia it is less than the national average; whereas in Asturias, Basque Country, and Ceuta-Melilla it is higher.

Minors victims of some form of abuse suffered, first, from Negligence (79,1%); second, from Emotional Abuse (42,5%); and third, from Physical Abuse (30,1%). All other categories of maltreatment affected less than 10% of abused children.

The number of abused boys is slightly higher than the number of girls (52,3% and 47,7%, respectively). When age is taken into account, there is a high percentage of cases detected in infants under 1 yr., and a sharp fall in children over 13 yrs.

When variables such as: type and subtype of abuse, gender, and age are jointly taken into account, it is possible to define more precisely some of the situations in which children are involved. For instance, Physical Abuse consists most frequently in excessive corporal punishment and blows resulting in injury. Negligence affects boys more often than girls and decreases with age. Sexual abuse follows quite the opposite pattern and is most frequently inflicted upon female adolescents. Mendicity is normally carried out with an adult and affects small children. In activities included under Corruption, generally boys are involved in drug consumption and commerce, robbery, and aggression and girls in sexual activities such as prostitution. Work exploitation in minors also differs according to the child's gender; boys are more frequently found in economically profitable activities, whereas girls suffer from abusive involvement in domestic chores.

Most cases of abuse (56.1%) were transfered to local child protection services by community social services. Other sources particularly important in detecting certain types of maltreatment are: the police in cases of Sexual Abuse, Corruption, Mendicity and some forms of Under-age Work; health service in Prenatal Abuse; victims of Sexual Abuse; and neighbours in cases of sexual Corruption.

Palabras clave:

• Maltrato infantil
• incidencia
• servicios de protección de la Infancia
• expedients
• fuentes de detección

Keywords:

• Child abuse
• incidence
• child protection services
• records
• source of detection