A growing number of studies investigating the relationship between violence and problems in child psychiatry. Consistent findings have been verified in studies related to aggressive behavior, antisocial and post-traumatic stress disorder with the violence against children. The financial costs associated with child abuse and neglect, including future lost earnings and expenses with mental health treatments were estimated at $ 94 billion US in 2010. The abuse and child neglect can cause permanent changes in the body's response to stress, with profound changes in the brain development.

Consisted of an exploratory study of character quantitative and qualitative, with document design. Records of children and adolescents who stayed in the shelter from 2011 to 2015 were surveyed. In order to collect data was used input and shutdown records used for shelter.

Unlike Brazil and the rest of the world's data, the leading cause of institutionalization in this work in the town of Mafra, was neglect rather than abuse. Perhaps for the under-reporting of abuse cases. This, coupled with the fact that there are no typically physical findings associated with sexual abuse, made the detection more difficult. This paper alerts the importance to increase our ability to identify all child abuse experiences, for protecting our children. Not only sexual abuse, but also physical abuse could benefit from strategies to enhance detection.