Sexual violence against women: an analysis of notifications in Espírito Santo, Brazil

Abstract Objective To estimate the frequency and factors associated with sexual violence against women in Espírito Santo. Methods Cross-sectional study based on data reported between 2011 and 2018 in the Notifiable Diseases Information System. Multivariate analysis was conducted using Poisson regression, with robust variance. Results The frequency of sexual violence was 15.6%, being the prevalence higher among children; people without disabilities and/or disorders; urban areas residents; with a sole, male, unknown aggressor and without suspicion of alcohol use. The residence was the place with the highest occurrence and the character of repetition was present. Conclusion and implications for practice Sexual violence against women was highly prevalent in the state. The results reinforce the association of this condition with the characteristics of the victim, the aggressor and the event, evidencing the vulnerability of children and the domestic space as a scenario of high frequency of this harm.