Child adultification, vulnerability, and sexual violence

conceptual limits and social impacts

Abstract

This article examines the concept of child adultification and its social implications, questioning its frequent and automatic association with sexual violence. Drawing on recent debates about the public exposure of children and adolescents, the study discusses the imprecise use of the term in public and media discourse. Methodologically, it employs Thematic Analysis to examine journalistic productions addressing experiences of sexual violence. The findings indicate that, although adultification influences socialization processes and subjective development, it does not necessarily constitute sexual violence, which involves specific dynamics of coercion, power, and violation. The article concludes that conceptual imprecision may lead to analytical misunderstandings and obscure structural dimensions of vulnerability and suffering, particularly those related to the experiences of women who are victims of sexual violence.