Violência contra as mulheres: da Lei Maria da Penha à educação como instrumento de prevenção

Abstract

The presente paper has as its main theme the violence against women, which is a social and contemporary issue, through which several questions have been raised, leading to different debates involving the historical, political, social, cultural and economic aspects. Gender-based violence violates human rights and the dignity of the human person, represents a complex and wide-ranging phenomenon and, unfortunately, this violence has spread as something “normal” and “natural” becoming invisible to society. In this way, women routinely suffer different forms of violence, whether physical, psychological, sexual or patrimonial, both in the private and public spheres. Women represent a vulnerable group in the face of violence, specifically, when it comes to domestic and family violence, where women face a constant and systematic cycle of violence, and the worrying factor is the extreme act of violence, the crime of femicide. The analysis of this research was carried out through consultations with bibliographic, documentary and legislative sources, its general objective is to analyse the aspects that hinder the effectiveness of the Maria da Penha Law as na instrument to prevent and confront violence against women. At first, a brief scenario was presented on the historical and socio-cultural aspects that influence the practice of gender violence, this being the main factor for the crime of feminicide. Then, statistical data on violence against women were explained on the national scene and statistics on the crime of femicide in the local context. Finally, the study pointed out aspects that hinder the effectiveness of the Maria da Penha Law as an instrument to protect women's rights and to fight violence against women and feminicide.