Hospital Geral de Nova Iguaçu opens specialized center for child violence victims

The Hospital Geral de Nova Iguaçu (HGNI) has inaugurated the Centro de Atendimento ao Adolescente e à Criança (CAAC), a specialized space designed to assist children and adolescents who are victims of violence. Established through a partnership between the Municipal Health Secretariat and the State Civil Police, the center functions as a specialized police unit within the hospital setting.

Following medical treatment, victims can register incidents and provide specialized testimony in a secure environment equipped with audio and camera systems. This initiative aims to prevent revictimization—a process where victims are forced to repeat traumatic accounts multiple times—and to accelerate investigations by integrating health, security, and social assistance services.

Flávia Antunes, head of the UNICEF office in Rio de Janeiro, noted that children often provide testimony up to nine times after an incident, which can compromise investigations and prolong trauma. The CAAC will operate Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, providing Civil Police presence supported by psychological and social work professionals.