Estudo sobre violência e religião: narrativas do cotidiano de mulheres evangélicas em João Pessoa-PB

Abstract

The present study addresses the complex relationship between violence against women and religion, with a focus on evangelical Christian women from the Central Baptist Church (IBC) located in the Colibris neighborhood of João Pessoa, Paraíba. The investigation begins with the recognition that domestic violence is a persistent problem that takes on specific contours within Christian households, demanding special attention from the fields of Religious Studies and Theology. The study is divided into three chapters, which examine: the contextualization of violence associated with the sacred in the domestic sphere; the unfolding of violence in evangelical homes; and the narratives of women who have been victims. The general objective is to analyze the relationship between violence and religion in the daily lives of evangelical Christian women from IBC – Colibris in João Pessoa, PB. The specific objectives are: to discuss gender relations and symbolic violence in the Christian context; to reflect on the submission, invisibility, and silence that characterize these forms of violence; and, finally, to understand the narratives of these women, preserving their voices and experiences. For this purpose, a qualitative methodology was employed, specifically a case study, using interviews conducted with a focus group composed of eight volunteer women. Discursive textual analysis (DTA) was adopted to organize the testimonies into thematic categories. The study sought to ensure the narrative freedom of the participants, without interference from the researcher, valuing attentive listening and the autonomy of the women involved.The theoretical framework engages with authors such as bell hooks, Beverly Engels, Júlio Chiavenato, among others, in addition to biblical interpretations that have historically contributed to reinforcing gender inequality and female submission. The results reveal that domestic violence significantly affects evangelical women at IBC – Colibris and that many of them do not find the necessary support within their own faith community. Although the pastor of the investigated church has stood out by offering support and care to victims, a practice not commonly observed in other communities, the study concludes that, in the face of their lived experiences of violence, the women recognize that beyond faith, it is also essential to resort to actions such as filing complaints. Today, these women are active collaborators in their church, free and open to sharing their testimonies with other women, thus contributing to raising awareness of this serious problem. The study also concludes that women who are victims of domestic violence in evangelical Christian households can become multiplying agents of a new perspective of faith, recognizing the ambiguity present in biblical language, which allows for the emergence of a reinterpretation of submission.