Medical knowledge and approach in cases of violence against women in a public hospital in Alagoas, Brazil

Abstract

Violence against women is a complex social phenomenon, which has a high recurrence and challenges the social assistance network. This qualitative field study sought to understand the knowledge and practices of medical professionals from a public hospital in the state of Alagoas, Brazil, regarding this theme. The production of data used semi-structured interviews and their analysis took place through the content analysis technique, of the categorical type. It was found that, despite recognizing some important aspects for the care of women victims of violence, there is a huge lack of knowledge about the policies and the care network, due to the lack of training. The institutional inexistence of protocols to deal with cases leads to a subjective professional practice that is sometimes limited to physical injuries caused by violence.