[Sexual violence amongst young people aged 10 to 19 years. Cali, 2001-2006]

Characterising sexual violence reported by youngsters aged 10 to 19 in Cali between 2001 and 2006. COMPONENTS AND METHODS: Young people aged 10 to 19 who had been referred to a forensic clinic by a competent authority between 2001 and 2006 were defined as being presumed victims of sexual crimes. Variables of time, place and person subjected to sexual crime committed by a family member (intrafamily), an acquaintance or unknown public individual (extra family) were compared. There were 661 cases of presumed victims of sexual abuse from both sexes in the age-range being studied. The information was taken from the forensic clinic's patient records. Chi square and relative risk were used in the statistical analysis of the data so collected concerning frequency for presumed sexual victims aged 10 to 19 and analysing the relationships between variables.

83% of the cases in the study were female, 78% were students and more than 50% were 15 year-old minors. The aggressors were known in 78% of the cases. A significant association was found between involvement with the aggressor and the place where the incident occurred with a victim's age.

The characteristics of sexual violence occurring in adolescents were constant and comparable with historical studies where family dynamics and organisation made such scene opportune for this type of violent act to be perpetrated.