Children in the Streets of Brazil: Drug Use, Crime, Violence, and HIV Risks

Abstract

The presence of vast numbers of unsupervised and unprotected children is a phenomenon that is common throughout Latin America, and in few places are the street children more visible, and reviled, than in Brazil. Estimates of their numbers in Brazil have ranged from 7 to 17 million, but more informed assessments suggest that between 7 and 8 million children, ages 5 to 18, live and/or work on the streets of urban Brazil. Accounts of drug abuse among street youths in Brazil are commonplace. Numerous scientific studies and media stories have reported the widespread use of inhalants, marijuana and cocaine, and Valium among street children. Also common is the use of coca paste and Rohypnol. Risk of exposure to HIV is rapidly becoming an area of concern because of the large number of street youths engaging in unprotected sexual acts, both renumerated and non-renumerated. Moreover, Brazil's street children are targets of fear. Because of their drug use, predatory crimes, and general unacceptability on urban thoroughfares, they are frequently the targets of local vigilante groups, drug gangs, and police "death squads." Although there have been many proposals and programs for addressing the problems of Brazilian street youth, it would appear that only minimal headway has been achieved.

Factors associated with parasitic infection amongst street children in orphanages across Lima, Peru

“…5 Qualitative studies in Brazil suggest that family breakdown combined with economic problems, peer pressure, and drug use are driving factors towards street life; these studies provide alarming insights into the risks these children face. 6,7 Reports in Peru are similar; a survey of 134 street children in Lima found that 81% admitted alcohol consumption and 92% admitted to using 'terokal', a volatile solvent. 8 These children often survive by working in the informal sector.…”

“…[4][5][6][7] A study in La Paz, Bolivia, reported that up to 85% were victims of physical abuse, with children also reporting experience of sexual abuse (20%), serious medical conditions (53%), use of alcohol (58%), and inhalation of volatile solvents (88%). 5 Qualitative studies in Brazil suggest that family breakdown combined with economic problems, peer pressure, and drug use are driving factors towards street life; these studies provide alarming insights into the risks these children face.…”

Prevalence and Risk of Blood-Borne and Sexually Transmitted Viral Infections in Incarcerated Youth in Salvador, Brazil: Opportunity and Obligation for Intervention

“…The primary reasons for detention of youth include petty theft and robbery, although they also are detained for assault and homicide (Tapparelli and Almeida 2003). The existence of this large number of detained children and their unmet social and health needs has become a public health crisis Inciardi and Surratt 1998;Noto et al 2003).…”

“…Detained children and adolescents primarily have streetliving circumstances, which is a serious social problem in resource-poor countries such as Brazil (Goodwin et al 2004;Inciardi and Surratt 1998;Lockhart 2002;Tantoco 1993). In Latin America, estimates of the number of children and adolescents living in the streets varies from 100,000 to 30 million (Lejeune 1993), and in Brazil there are no precise population estimates (Abdelgalil et al 2004;Celia et al 1993).…”

Cross‐National Variations in Behavioral Profiles Among Homeless Youth

“…4 We anticipated that there may be different pathways into and out of homelessness in the two settings; therefore, we compared newly homeless and experienced youth (those on the streets a long time) in each country. 5 Homeless youth show very high rates of problem behaviors in both countries (Booth & Zhang, 1996;Inciardi & Surratt, 1998;Kipke, Montgomery, Simon, & Iverson, 1997;Sleegers, Spijker, van Limbeek, & van Engeland, 1998;Greene & Ringwalt, 1996;Kral, Molnar, Booth, & Watters, 1997;Rosenthal, Moore, & Buzwell, 1994;Buhrich & Teesson, 1990;Kamieniecki, 2001;Teesson, Hodder, & Buhrich, 2003). Yet, it is unclear whether newly homeless youth in both countries would have exhibited similar behavioral profiles whether they were in the US and AU.…”