In this article, we describe and analyze the process of enactment of child sexual abuse as a “social problem”, which is processed by the Resource Network to Children and Adolescents Victims of Sexual Violence in Fortaleza, Ceará (Rede). Practices and experiences, whether collective or individual, that mobilize and articulate multiple elements capable of producing “cases of sexual abuse” have been observed at one of the Specialized Reference Centers for Social Assistance (CREAS). The term sexual abuse of children and adolescents is based on the premise that the sex relationships between adults and children is unacceptable and, therefore, abusive, given the adult’s goal of achieving his or her own sexual pleasure. However, Rede may only officially characterize a case of sexual abuse if the case is denounced, analyzed, typified, enumerated and accounted for on a dossier of every assistance made backed-up by specialized documentary records capable of technically reporting the incident.
Sexual abuse; Social problem; CREAS; Enactment