The economic impact of family violence on legal, medical, and psychological assistance to the victims in Brazil is unknown. Family violence affects all social classes but is more frequent and visible among poor classes where poverty, unemployment, marginality, illiteracy, drug addiction, alcoholism, unstructured families, and stress contribute to cause psychological disorders. Children and adolescents living in dysfunctional homes are most often victims of double violence -- direct and indirect -- committed by biological parents or in-laws, guardians, or relatives. On the one hand they are neglected or physically and emotionally abused; on the other, they witness violent acts committed against members of their families. Such victimized children will display long-term mental disorders, nightmares, difficulties in school, depression, or self-destructive behavior. Most of them will not express their feelings because of their incapacity to evaluate the aggression against them or for fear of retaliation. Brazil’s Statute of the Child and Adolescent, one of the most advanced laws in the world in this regard, became law in 1990 and prescribed that children should not be subject to any form of negligence, discrimination, exploitation, violence, cruelty, and oppression. In spite of legislative action, the problem of family violence is a public health problem and requires a wide range of preventative actions such as the need to fight against social inequalities, extreme poverty, and illiteracy, and the need for development of programs to educate the aggressors and promote responsible parenting. Some of the efforts to reduce the incidence of family violence include the establishment of hospital committees for mistreatment prevention, and SOS Children, which provides rehabilitation for the whole family. Also, Shelter Homes provide refuge for women and children who are victims of mistreatment. 4 endnotes