SEXUAL VIOLENCE AT SCHOOL: PREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS IN HIGH SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS

The present study addresses the issue of sexual violence in schools, which affects adolescents and harms the health of students. Therefore, the objective of this research is to analyze the prevalence of sexual violence at school and associated factors in high school adolescents. Regarding methodological procedures, this is a cross-sectional study carried out with 674 adolescents from high schools in Teresina-PI, selected by proportional stratified probabilistic sampling. Univariate analyzes were performed using descriptive statistics; bivariate, using Pearson's Chi-square test (χ2) or Fisher's exact test; and multivariate, using multiple logistic regression, using the adjusted odds ratio (OR) and respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) with a significance level of 5%. The results found reveal a prevalence of sexual violence at school of 6.4%, with a higher frequency among females (7.9%), in the 17-19 age group (6.7%), mixed race/black people (6 .7%), with companions (11.5%), non-Catholics (8.5%). There was a significant association (p<0.05) between suffering sexual violence at school and female sex (OR=2.41; 95%CI: 1.20-4.79), non-Catholic religion (OR=2.11; 95%CI : 1.12-3.98) and family income above one minimum wage (OR=2.35; 95%CI: 1.11-4.98). It is concluded that there is a high prevalence of sexual violence in the school environment against high school adolescents in public and private schools in Teresina and its association with factors such as sex, religion and family income.