Criminal offenses against the sexual freedom of children and adolescents in Beni and Pando, Bolivia’s Amazonian regions

Abstract

Sexual violence constitutes one of the most serious violations of human dignity and human rights. In certain regions of the world, information about these rights violations is still insufficient and poorly documented; one example is the vast Amazon region. This investigation examines acts of sexual violence committed against minors in Beni and Pando, two Amazonian departments of Bolivia, between 2020 and 2024. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, both quantitative and qualitative, at an exploratory level using data from official sources. It has three specific objectives: (1) To explore the presence of potential sexual offenses affecting minors in Beni and Pando; (2) To analyze reported pregnancy records among minors as potential indicators of sexual violence; and (3) To identify the factors related to accessibility to justice in the Bolivian Amazonian region. The results obtained reflect a sustained increase in reports, limited inter-institutional coordination, failure to apply protocols in health centers, limited state presence, and personnel lacking specialized training to handle these cases, among other findings.