Suicídio e racismo: "uma reflexão antropológica acerca da ideação e tentativas de suicídio realizadas por mulheres negras acolhidas no CERIR João Balula, João Pessoa - PB"

Abstract

Suicide and Racism: an anthropological reflection on ideation and suicide attempts by black women hosted at CERIR João Balula. This paper addresses the relationships between the practices of racism and suicide in themblack population, with an emphasis on black women based on research carried out at the João Balula State Reference Center for Racial Equality, linked to the State Secretariat for Women and Human Diversity – SEMDH. The problematization of the relationships between these terms – racism and suicide – is central to criticizing the processes of colonization and racialization of everyday practices, as well as understanding the impact of these processes on the life trajectory of black women. Anthropologically, these relationships are considered historically and socially constructed, producing social, racial and gender inequalities. The choice of CERIR João Balula sought to focus on the processes of transforming public policies into practices when it comes to racism, emphasizing the multidisciplinary perspective of the service team. The objective was to identify the impacts caused to black women from the experience of racial injury, involving personal and social relationships and the existence of suicide ideation or attempts reported by them. Initially, we sought epidemiological information about suicide and tempting practices consolidated by the Health Department of the Municipality of João Pessoa, taking into account the issue of race/color. Then, in addition to field observation, six interviews were carried out with black women and four interviews with professionals from the aforementioned Center. The information that women make suicide attempts compared to men in João Pessoa was confirmed. From the interviews, professionals state that the service is a way to combat structural and institutional racism, which permeates social relations. They narrate the personal experiences of black women in Brazilian society, bringing episodes related to their experiences since childhood, marked by the crime of racism and other forms of violations and violence, as triggers for suicide ideation and attempts. The narratives record the suffering and pain caused by racist practices, investing in the body – hair, thinness, skin color – to ideations and suicide attempts.