Sexual violence in Brazil: voices of raped women

• DOI: 10.22533/at.ed.5583122314044

• Palavras-chave: sexual violence; Gender violence; Violence against women; Prevention.

• Keywords: sexual violence; Gender violence; Violence against women; Prevention.

• Abstract:

   This study aimed to understand the perception of women regarding sexual violence. For that, a descriptive, exploratory and qualitative research was carried out, in which 521 women, from different Brazilian states, aged between 16 and 62 years old, participated. The results showed that: a) 87.5% of the respondents did not formally report the sexual violence suffered to the competent bodies; b) in addition to sexual violence, 88.00% of respondents reported having been victims of other forms of violence (physical, psychological, moral and/or property); c) the negative impacts on women's lives were multidimensional, manifested soon after the aggressions, and/or in the medium and long term, such as genital and extragenital injuries (86.00%), post-traumatic stress disorder (98.00%), and dysfunctional beliefs involving feelings of guilt (80.00%), difficulties in trusting people (80.00%) and difficulties in relating emotionally and sexually (80.00%). In view of these data, it is considered that, often, women are faced with acts of aggression against life, equality, dignity and freedom and this changes their being and being in society, restricting their opportunities to actively participate in issues public and political, as well as work, education, community, among others.