The findings are in the Sixth APAV/Intercampus Barometer, with the theme “Perception of the Portuguese Population on Violence against Children and Youths”, which was compiled between mid-May and the end of June. Interviews were carried out with 807 people aged 18 or over.
Of those questioned, 36 percent said they had personal knowledge of situations in which children or young people were victims of violence. Many of these were bullying and aggression in school, either between pupils or between pupils and education professionals.
Of these situations, those surveyed said they knew of only 56 percent of the victims having received help, mostly in the school itself. In addition, only 38 percent of those who knew of the incidents themselves reported the situation to school, police or the family.
The study finds that “the perception of the gravity and the impact on the physical and mental health of children or young people [who are] victims of violence is ... quite high”, as is the importance attributed to prevention and action to combat these situations.
Nevertheless, APAV recommends that more work needs to be done to prevent and raise awareness about how to tackle the phenomenon.
“The figures have confirmed what we already suspected: that children and young people don’t know their rights, nor to which services they should turn,” APAV expert Maria Oliveira told Lusa News Agency.