Abstracts Womens Studies

A religião frente à violência doméstica: a percepção das mulheres evangélicas atendidas no Centro de Referência de Atendimento à Mulher - Cram em Itabuna - Ba: Religion in the face of domestic violence: the perception of christian women assisted at the Women's Service Reference Center – CRAM em Itabuna – BA

by Alana Araújo D'El Rei Conrado

This dissertation presents the results of a study whose main objective is to analyze the perceptions of christian women attending at the Women's Service Reference Center – CRAM in Itabuna-BA about religion’s influence in combating domestic violence. Therefore, we seek answers to the following question: in what ways do Protestant religions interfere in combating domestic violence against women? As a theoretical basis, this research is based on significant studies on Gender, from the perspective of authors such as Jean Scott, Helleieth Saffioti, Flávia Biroli, and, specifically, it also discusses the intersection between Gender, Religion and Domestic Violence, with studies by Claudia Ritz, Maria José Nunes, Allyne Farinha, among others. Regarding methodology, this is exploratory research, with a qualitative approach. For data collection, semi-structured interviews were carried out with eight christian women who have been monitored since 2017 by the Women's Service Reference Center (CRAM) in Itabuna - Bahia. In general, it was found, through the interviews, that the women had a diverse profile; Only one of them is still married, still vulnerable to continuing to be a victim of domestic violence. The results also highlight difficulties faced in breaking the cycle of violence. To achieve this, CRAM, in collaboration with the protection network, plays an essential role in guaranteeing rights of women who need to break this cycle of abuse, especially with effective spread of information, including the essential procedure and humanized care. The interviews confirm what scientific studies already warn about the fact that domestic violence can harm cognitive and emotional development of children, negatively affecting their self-esteem, social and affective skills. The interviews also reveal that religious leaders often devalue, condemn and reaffirm women's submissive position in society, based on justifications in biblical scriptures, to reinforce obedience, passivity and submission; This corroborates the maintenance of violence suffered. Finally, it became clear that, although the majority of christian women present a paradoxical discourse that religion helped them to escape the cycle of violence and, consequently, say that their faith in God freed them from violence, an intimate and subjective feeling, beyond the intervention of the religious institution, the participants broke with alienating and limiting indoctrinations by seeking support from the protection network, especially CRAM. Regarding criticism of monitoring in the protection network, one of the interviewees warned us about the fragility of the Emergency Protective Procedure (M.P.U.) and the lack of adequate resources in women's shelters, such as daycare centers and activities for children. This research can serve as a basis for future research and creation of public policies.