Violence against women: a study of the reports to police in the city of Itapevi, São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

Background: violence against women is a serious problem caused by the social construction of feminineness and masculineness that results in the domination of women by men. Public policies on gender have recently been developed in order to confront the problem. But what exactly are the problems faced by women?

Purposes: to survey and analyse cases of violence against women reported to the police, as recorded at the Police Stations for Women's Defence (PSWDs), and to reconstruct the procedures that women must go through in order to denounce their aggressors.

Methodology: this quantitative, exploratory and descriptive study was undertaken during 2006-2007 in the city of Itapevi, São Paulo metropolitan region, Brazil. As there is no PSWD data were collected from police reports from PSWDs of neighbouring cities.

Findings: malicious physical injury (49%) and threats (42%) were the most commonly reported types of violence. The victims were aged between 20 and 49 years (93%). Almost all of the aggressors (97%) were men and most had an intimate relationship with their victim. The use of alcoholic beverages was linked to approximately 25% of the cases.

Conclusion: women who are victims of domestic violence in Itapevi report that going through PSWDs of neighbouring cities is a difficult, isolated, long and expensive process that often, provides no institutional protection.

Implications for practice: there is an urgent requirement for judicial-assistance and support close to home in order to provide a quality service and follow-up for these women and their aggressors; to provide training for the professionals called to attend them at police stations; and for a caring attitude from health-care professionals.