VIOLÊNCIA NA GRAVIDEZ: caracterização de casos em São Luís (MA) no ano de 2010

Abstract

Violence against women is a complex public health problem which can be present even in a moment of the woman's life when her well-being should be assured: pregnancy. There are a few researches on how violence towards women is characterized. Even more scarce are the studies that characterize the occurrence and kind of violence against women during pregnancy. This study aimed at describing the violence against women in the city of São Luís (MA) in the year 2010. The methodology used consisted of structured interviews (questionnaires) with 1446 pregnant women, only one pregnancy, from 22 to 25 weeks bearing the child, confirmed by ultrasound made in the first trimester and in facilities of both public and private health system. To assess the violence during pregnancy a WHO questionnaire was used Multicountry Study about Women's Health and Violence Against Women. The data was analyzed and distributed in frames and graphic categorized by frequence and percentage. Statistic tests were not used. Data analysis revealed that violence was present during in 49,65% of the pregnancies, being psychological violence more frequent. The increase in sexual violence was expressive during pregnancy (11,29%). It was observed that regardless the kind of violence physical, sexual and/or psychological the pregnant women showed the same social-economic standard: aged between 20 and 34, dark skin, between 9 and 11 years of study, living with a partner and not having kids at home, being out of the economical active population, having family wage between 1 and less than 3 minimum wages and being from the C class. The current husband/partner/boyfriend was pointed as being the aggressor in most cases. It is concluded that violence against women can happen any time, including pregnancy, regardless skin color, schooling, social class, and in different ways (physical, sexual and/or psychological).