Two out of three Brazilian teenagers have never been to the gynecologist

Going to a gynecological appointment has become an almost unattainable feat for most Brazilian teenagers — two out of three of them (the equivalent of 66%) have never been to one.

The data are from the survey “Por ser a Menina”, by the NGO Plan International Brasil, which shows the reality of Brazilian adolescents through interviews and questionnaires answered by young people between 14 and 19 years old.

Among girls who have had their first period, 70% have never been to the specialist.

“The disadvantages and violations of rights that women experience don’t start in adulthood, they start at an earlier age,” said Flavio Debique, the organization’s national program and advocacy manager. Plan International operates in more than 70 countries, with the objective of protecting children and adolescents.

The study interviewed 2,589 girls in 10 cities in the five Brazilian regions. The sample profile included black, white, yellow and indigenous adolescents, in addition to taking into account their gender identity and sexual orientation.

While 92.4% of respondents claim to have sufficient knowledge about sexual prevention, only 44.1% have had an appointment with a gynecologist.

The situation is even more serious in families that receive up to the minimum wage, in which only 31.6% of teenagers have visited the specialist. As income goes up, so does the ease of accessing healthcare. On average, 66.5% of girls who live with more than 4 minimum wages have already gone through this experience.

On the other hand, teenage pregnancy had low rates, with only 3.2% of the total number of respondents. In this group, 74.1% are black, while white girls are 21%.

Menstruation is still taboo for this age group. About 40% of girls have already stopped attending school during their menstrual period. The practice of sports is the most avoided, with 75.7% of teenagers leaving it aside always or sometimes.

“In physical education, we didn’t have the option to sit and wait if we were menstruating or colic. They said ‘ah, you’ve got colic, let’s do some exercise’ or ‘if you don’t do it, you’ll lose two stitches'”, said Manoela ( fictitious name), 18, from Porto Alegre.

The survey also showed that schools are the most likely places for girls to experience sexual harassment—34.2% said so. It is also there where they feel the greatest gender discrimination, with 25.4%.

Overall, the school was not reported as a welcoming environment for these girls. It ranks second in the categories of physical (22.6%) and sexual (24%) violence, and third when it comes to psychological violence (20.5%).

At least 94.2% of Brazilian adolescents have already gone through some situation of violence, or witnessed one against people close to them. Although educational institutions have a relevant space on the list, it is at home where they are most vulnerable.

It is the space where 30.7% of girls have suffered physical violence, 24.7% said they have been sexually assaulted and 25.2% say they have gone through situations of psychological violence.

The researchers mention the lack of guidance and encouragement for girls to report cases. One of the limiting factors, in addition to the lack of information, they say, is that family members tend to hold teenage victims responsible for the violence they suffered.

When witnessing a case, Mariana (fictitious name), 18, from São Luís, Maranhão, seeks to inform the competent authorities, but knows that information is lacking, especially in areas far from the centers.

Cynthia Betti, executive director of the organization, explains that, based on the adolescents’ experiences and testimonies, data on violence sought to highlight a reality that was already clear in Brazil, that women from their youth are susceptible to violence.

“[Nossa intenção foi] show the whole society the importance of having effective actions that seek to protect them from violence. Sexual, physical, psychological abuse, child marriage, unequal access to opportunities for social or professional coexistence are among the types of violence brought by them,” he said.

The director mentions the need for projects and policies that address the protection of children, adolescents and their protection network, enabling them to make correct decisions about their own lives, providing access to education and employment, and encouraging spaces for leadership , still mostly occupied by men.