The Observatory for Children’s Rights reported that in the state of São Paulo alone in the year 2020, 3,500 children and adolescents experienced neglect and abandonment, 10,200 children and adolescents were victims of physical violence, and 5,600 children and adolescents suffered from sexual violence. The majority of these individuals lack access to mental health treatment and proper education, significantly increasing the likelihood that the damage caused by trauma will be long-lasting. Many of them exhibit typical symptoms resulting from unprocessed trauma. In school-age children, this often includes an inability to concentrate, difficulty handling frustration, chronic irritability, nervous states, high levels of aggression, self-harm, compulsive speech, and learning difficulties. In adolescents, symptoms may manifest as abrupt mood and relationship changes, isolation, loss of control, irritability, anger, a desire for revenge, compulsive sexual activity, and involvement with drugs.

The lack of societal awareness regarding the nature of trauma and how it can profoundly impact an individual’s life without appropriate intervention is one of the significant challenges in establishing adequate policies for those who experience daily exposure to traumatic and stressful events.