Abstract
ABSTRACTObjective:To know and analyze the critical path followed by women subjected to intimate partner violence until reaching a Reference Center of a Brazilian city, from the perspective of these women. Method:Qualitative research, based on the concept of critical path. Participant observations of the support group of the Reference Center and interviews with ten women in situations of violence who were followed up in this service. Results:the motivating factors for women to seek help were the increase in the severity of the aggressions, the impact of the violence on their children and support from their family. They go to several sectors and services before reaching the Reference Center, such as the police and legal counsel, health and social services. They find little effective responses from the services, and care is indicated as the most relevant response factor to face the situation. Conclusion:the assistance is fragmented and dependent on the posture of the professional. The Reference Center is recognized as an important place of support for women. In addition to governmental efforts to maintain the network structured, the permanent education of the working professionals is also fundamental.
Highlights
Violence against women is a violation of human rights and a serious public health problem in the contemporary world
One third (30%) of women who have been in a relationship experienced physical and/or sexual violence perpetrated by the intimate partner, and in some regions this rate reaches 38%(1)
A systematic review conducted with studies from 1990 to 2011 to estimate the global and regional prevalence of intimate partner homicide found that intimate partner was six times higher than the proportion of male homicides[2]
Summary
Violence against women is a violation of human rights and a serious public health problem in the contemporary world. One third (30%) of women who have been in a relationship experienced physical and/or sexual violence perpetrated by the intimate partner, and in some regions this rate reaches 38%(1). A systematic review conducted with studies from 1990 to 2011 to estimate the global and regional prevalence of intimate partner homicide found that intimate partner was six times higher than the proportion of male homicides[2]. Women who experience domestic violence have lower quality of life[3]. There are physiological mechanisms that associate exposure to violence with different health effects; there may be implications for mental health and cognitive functioning. The immune system may become weakened, increasing the risk of cancer and viral infections[4,5]
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