Sociodemographic characteristics of women in a public hospital in Campinas who underwent legal abortion due to sexual violence: cross-sectional study.

Danielle Dos Santos Mutta,Daniela Angerame Yela

doi:10.1590/1516-3180.2017.0048150317

Abstract

Sexual violence is increasingly frequent worldwide. The aim here was to evaluate the sociodemographic and psychological characteristics of women who requested legal abortion, at a public healthcare service, after sufering sexual violence. Retrospective descriptive study on 131 women who underwent legal abortion at the University of Campinas between 1994 and 2014, consequent to sexual violence. The sociodemographic and psychological characteristics of women who were victims of sexual violence were evaluated from their medical records. The tests used to evaluate possible associations were the chi-square and/or Fisher's exact test. The women's mean age was 23 ± 9.2 years; 77.9% were white and 71.8% were single; 32.8% were students and 58.6% had employment outside of their homes. The majority reported that they did not know the aggressor (62.3%), but among the adolescents, 58% of the aggressors were known. The majority asked for abortion up to the 12th weeks of gestation (63.4%). Only 2.3% presented curettage complications. The psychological situation most frequently encountered was determined, in 34.4% of the cases before the abortion; and good in 32.8% after the abortion. There was greater occurrence of sexual violence among students and women who worked outside. Among the students, most of these were adolescents and had no previous sexual life. The teenagers were raped by a known aggressor.

Highlights

In 1994, the Organization of American States (OAS) defined violence against women as “any gender-based act that causes death, injury, or physical, sexual or psychological suffering to women, both in public and private spheres”.1 Sexual violence is one of the oldest and bitterest expressions of gender violence and v iolation of human rights, sexual rights and reproductive rights.[2]Multiple health problems resulting from sexual violence need to be considered
Pregnancy resulting from sexual violence is a complex process due to emotional, familial, social and biological impacts. This unwanted pregnancy is taken by many women to be a second form of violation and, because it becomes intolerable and impossible to maintain until the end, they resort to abortion.[4]
A woman who has suffered sexual violence does not have any duty to report the occurrence to the police; nor is she obliged to submit a report to the police or to undergo medical-legal examination

Summary

INTRODUCTION

In 1994, the Organization of American States (OAS) defined violence against women as “any gender-based act that causes death, injury, or physical, sexual or psychological suffering to women, both in public and private spheres”.1 Sexual violence is one of the oldest and bitterest expressions of gender violence and v iolation of human rights, sexual rights and reproductive rights.[2]. There is psychological damage that produces intense and devastating effects that are sometimes irreparable.[3] Pregnancy resulting from sexual violence is a complex process due to emotional, familial, social and biological impacts. This unwanted pregnancy is taken by many women to be a second form of violation and, because it becomes intolerable and impossible to maintain until the end, they resort to abortion.[4]. A woman who has suffered sexual violence does not have any duty to report the occurrence to the police; nor is she obliged to submit a report to the police or to undergo medical-legal examination She should be supported in taking appropriate police and judicial measures. Failure to take such action does not constitute a legal basis for denying abortion.[5,6]

OBJECTIVE

METHODS

RESULTS

DISCUSSION