FATAL OUTCOMES OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN BRAZIL: AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF DEATHS BY PHYSICAL ASSAULT FROM 2018 TO 2022

Abstract

Introduction: Sexual violence by physical force is a public health problem with serious physical,
psychological, and social impacts. In Brazil, it is a crime under the Penal Code, with harsher penalties in
cases of death. Objective: To analyze deaths resulting from this type of aggression between 2018 and
2022, focusing on the epidemiological profile of the victims and the challenges for prevention and care.
Methods: Descriptive transversal study using data from the Brazilian Unified Health System’s Hospital
Information System (SIH-SUS), including deaths classified under ICD-10 code Y05. Results: 66.25% of
the victims were female, with the highest prevalence among children under four years old (27.5%).
Individuals identified as mixed race (pardo) accounted for 52.5% of deaths. A high rate of missing data
was observed (42.5% for educational level), suggesting weaknesses in hospital record-keeping.
Conclusion: The findings highlight the vulnerability of women and children; however, the absolute
number of deaths suggests recording limitations inherent to the system used, indicating that SIH-SUS
data reflect only the portion of victims who received hospital care.