"I suffered in silence and certainly all women are like that" - Silenced: reproduction of, and breaking with, violence against women living in rural areas.

Abstract

By way of life stories drawn from 20 interviews of women in two municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul, this qualitative study examined how violence against women living in rural areas is silenced and the challenges involved in breaking that silence. Narrative Analysis arrived at two categories: "I suffered in silence and certainly all women are like that" (Violence silenced) and "We take care of her" (Breaking the silence). The first relates to the oppression of imposed silence and how women were affected by violence and isolation. The second shows the challenges facing women who break the silence and leave abusive relationships and how, through their narratives, to access the stories of other women who suffer violence. The narratives stress that the imposition of silence, which arose from gender roles and constraints on freedom, contributed to their continuing in the abusive relationship. The violence was sustained by the rural setting, where women were even more isolated, alone and unsupported, which heightened their fears, guilt, shame and financial dependence. An inter-sector approach, with more information and care for rural women, is fundamental to addressing this problem.