[Child and adolescent abuse recorded at a national referral hospital, 2006 - 2011]

To describe the records of child and adolescent abuse of the Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño (INSN) from January 2006 to September 2011, characterizing the victim and perpetrator.

A secondary sources analysis was performed, based on the domestic violence and child abuse records, from froms administered by Child Abuse and Adolescent Health Unit (MAMIS) at the INSN. The records include data of the victim, offender and characteristics of the aggression. Types of aggression were categorized as: sexual, physical, psychological or neglection. Frequencies and percentages are presented.

A total of 1798 records were included. From them 63.9% were girls, and 39.9% were adolescents. Males accounted for 60.6% of the offenders, and 65.8% of assaults occurred at home. Sexual assault was recorded in 48.6%, with more frequency among girls (73.2%) and adolescents (44.4%); and intercourse occurred in 9.6% of the cases.

From the INSN MAMIS records, aggressions to girls was the most frequent type of report, the aggressor was often a male and most of the attacks occurred in the child's home. Sexual assault accounted for almost half of the series.