Perceptions of Women in Timorese Society.

Abstract

This article analyses some of the perceptions of women in the Timorese society. To organize the discussion, this article is divided into three parts. In the first part, I escribe an activity conducted with civil servants, in which four curricula vitae were handed out to two women and two men. They were asked to choose the one that presented the best qualifications for the position of a director in a project that would have social impact. In the second part, I analyse the results of a group dynamics study that was performed with 30 men and 30 women, in which they were asked to evaluate a hypothetical situation of intrafamilial violence, as well as opinion research conducted with 50 women and 50 men on their understanding of domestic violence. In the third part, I describe some situations involving customary justice that is served, as it relates to violence against women. In both activities, it was found that there are general components (values, ethics, cultural norms), specific components (typical of men/women relationships), and singular components (each individual’s characteristics) governing the meanings and the perceptions of women in society.