SHELTERS FOR WOMEN EXPERIENCING
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN RIO GRANDE
DO SUL: MEANINGS AND CHALLENGES
Sônia Maria A. F. Almeida
Patrícia Krieger Grossi
Jaqueline Goulart Vincensi
Andréia Mendes dos Santos
Research has as its object the refuges existing in the State of
Rio Grande do Sul for women experiencing domestic in the family
sphere. Refuges are important institutional support to protect and
guarantee women's rights regarding the Maria da Penha Law.
The refuges are still insufficient in this State, showing sometimes
to be invisible whereas they are essential to guarantee and protect
women’s right to freedom and respect. The perpetration of
domestic violence passes through the time barrier, but is
deemed indicators for resolutions of governmental and
non-governmental actions and programs. The creation of
refuges is part of the National Plan on Policies for Women,
whose commitment was taken by the Brazilian Government
and it is one of the goals to combat violence against women.
METHODS
• This research aims to analyze the contribution of refuges
for women who face domestic violence, in the family
sphere, through the identification of (1) the significance of
such places for women; and (2) the action of the workers
involved as well as facilitating and limiting factors for the
contribution of refuges regarding social protection for
women. The research involves eight (8) refuges, covering
the State of Rio Grande do Sul in six (6) regions with
similar geographic and economic characteristics.
• Qualitative research was chosen, guided by
the dialectical method. Data collection was
based on mapping refuges identifying sociodemographic characteristics of sheltered
women and analyzing semi-structured
interviews with women, managers,
employees and technical staff, totaling 41
people. Analysis it was used the content
analysis according to Bardin (1977),
adopting thematic analysis
Research Objectives
General objective: To analyze the
contribution of shelters in meeting the
demands of women, protection of life and
coping with different forms of violence
• Specific Objectives:
 To identify the perception of the
contribution and relevance of shelters in
fighting domestic violence in the family
sphere from the women´s perspectives;
 To identify the actions developed in shelters;
• To analyze the limits and possibilities of
shelters in overcoming violent situations.
PROFILE OF BATTERED WOMEN
IN BRAZILIAN SHELTERS
• Ages 20 years and 40 years
• Education: Elementary Education, an illiterate and a
high school
• Of the eleven women interviewed four (4) worked
outside the home before the shelter
• Violence suffered for over three years, two
live for more than 17 years with their violent
partners.
• Physical
violence
accompanied
by
psychological violence, one of the situations
involved economic violence.
Abuse and use of shelter for the first time.
MAIN RESULTS
1. MEANING AND CONTRIBUTION
SHELTERS FOR WOMEN
OF
For women: shelters are referral
mechanisms for limit situations, represents
a safe place necessary when women's life is
in imminent danger
WOMEN´S NARRATIVES
"It improved a little, much better here, because we're
not have been beaten up anymore." (AM2)
“It is a kind of help, protection, and if I did not
come here he'd kill me, it is a necessary support."
(CM)
"The greatest joy of my life is to have arrived
here and here, my children and I have peace.
WOMEN´S NARRATIVES
• It is good because I have no place to go;
• It helped me because I didn´t have a place to go.
• It is good because I can think here, rebuild my
life... I can sleep without fear...
• I felt like I was in a cage before, now I feel like a
bird, able to fly.
• SHELTER´S WORKERS NARRATIVES
"[...] I can see, it is a legitimate area of protection
and assistance to women [..]" (BE).
"[...] Is to welcome these women so they cannot be
on the streets with their children [...] is not only
shelter
itself,
but
the prospect of reintegration into society [...]
"(BG).
SHELTERS´S WORKERS
NARRATIVES
• We tried to include children back into school
system, or in a daycare, in a social service
program after school hours, and try to put back
these women in the labour market.
2. ACTIVITIES DEVELOPED INSIDE THE
SHELTERS
• Hosting space, encouragement and reflection for
women: reframing of women's lives.
• New perspectives in life: to regain self-esteem,
freedom from violence.
• Interdisciplinary work: the process of
overcoming VIOLENCE through a
collective construction of coping strategies.
• Monitoring women after they leave shelter,
working to ensure protection and fulfillment of
perceived needs and discoveries, from the
perspective of freedom and autonomy.
LIMITS AND POSSIBILITIES OF SHELTERS
IN OVERCOMING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
• Social vulnerability of women coupled with the
precariousness of public social policies in most
counties, especially in relation to housing need;
• Lack of government funding, in one of the
shelters, the food is provided through community
donations, the staff are volunteers from an
NGO, the city hall contributes only with the
payment of the rental of a house
Working conditions:
Staff of different compositions is not always
enough in number. Some are training volunteers,
or load sharing with other services of the same
social policy, undermining the services to
women.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
This research tries to uncover the realities
of women who live in shelters and their
perceptions of violence in their lives, how
they rebuild their lives, and how shelters
contribute to build new projects of life
without violence. Social workers need to
build knowledge from women´s lived
experiences and try to articulate other
policies in order to meet abused women´s
needs such as housing, jobs, and so on.
Mostly,
need
to
challenge
preconceived views concerning
battered women which still prevails
in society and empower women to
change the oppressive conditions
of their lives.
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