Child Violence Demands Greater Social Attention

Every year, cases of children suffering physical, psychological, or sexual abuse in their own homes come to light. Official data shows an increase in reports, but also reveals a hidden number of cases that never reach justice.

Child abuse does not distinguish social class, educational level, or religious belief. Often, the aggressor is a family member or someone close to the child. This condition turns the home into a space of fear, not protection.

The family, the school, and the community must unite to protect and report aggression against children who do not speak out of fear, emotional dependence, or because they have normalized violence.

Abuse leaves deep marks: anxiety disorders, depression, learning difficulties, and self-destructive behaviors. Society looks with indignation at extreme cases that reach the media but ignores everyday signs: unexplained bruises, sudden mood changes, or social isolation.

The law establishes that parents or guardians have the primary obligation to guarantee the child’s protection and violence-free development. When this responsibility is broken, the aggressor faces harsh penalties: for serious physical aggression, prison can be up to 14 years.

In cases of sexual abuse, the Penal Code classifies «statutory rape of a vulnerable person» (under 14 years of age) with sentences of eight to 15 years in prison; if the victim is between 14 and 18 years old, the sentence increases. Additionally, these crimes do not receive benefits such as bail or pardon.

As a society, we have failures in prevention. Occasional campaigns or harsher penalties are not enough. Emotional education in schools, accessible reporting channels, and trained personnel to listen to a child without re-victimizing them are also needed.

As long as abuse is treated as an isolated incident and not as a social problem, we will remain patients without attacking the root of silence. The responsibility is not only the State’s; it belongs to every adult who decides to look or act in defense of the most precious thing — the boy or girl who is a victim of violence.