Violência contra a mulher: perspectivas de mulheres em situação de privação de liberdade

Abstract

Violence against women is a form of human rights violation, and understanding this phenomenon requires considering gender issues such as social, political, and cultural constructions regarding the roles socially assigned to men and women. Additionally, it is crucial to comprehend the social context in which individuals are situated, such as women deprived of liberty, often marked by marginalization and the lack of public policies that promote access to education and opportunities for equal societal integration as individuals. The objective of this study is to explore the perceptions of women in situations of deprivation of liberty regarding violence. This is a qualitative study using a single case study approach. The research was conducted in two municipalities in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: Palmeira das Missões and Sarandi, involving the following penitentiaries: Palmeira das Missões State Penitentiary (PEPM) and Sarandi State Penitentiary. The study included five women serving sentences under the Brazilian Penal Execution Law, in closed and semi-open regimes. Data collection took place from April to May 2024 through semi-structured individual interviews based on a script containing both closed and open-ended questions. The study complied with all regulatory research norms involving human subjects, with approval number 6.650.748. Data analysis was performed using Thematic Content Analysis, resulting in three emergent categories. The first category, "Violence against women: types of violence, perpetrators, and contributing factors," highlights types of violence against women as perceived by participants, including physical, psychological, verbal, sexual, and economic violence. It discusses the types of perpetrators they encountered, such as intimate partners, ex-partners, and even in-laws, as well as factors contributing to these acts, such as alcohol use. The second category, "Confronting abusive relationships: challenges/facilitators for breaking the cycle of violence and reporting perpetrators," explores the difficulties in ending abusive relationships, such as fear and emotional dependency on the perpetrator, as well as facilitators, such as legal protections for women victims of violence. It also addresses aspects of reporting perpetrators, often fraught with fear and insecurity. The third and final category, "Violence against women in the family and social context: a gender, cultural, and intergenerational issue," discusses experiences of violence within the family context involving siblings, nephews, and parents, among others.