ATUAÇÃO DE PROFISSIONAIS DE SAÚDE FRENTE À IDENTIFICAÇÃO E NOTIFICAÇÃO DE VIOLÊNCIA INTERPESSOAL CONTRA MULHERES: UMA LEITURA DECOLONIAL

Abstract

The Violence Against Women (VAW) constitutes a manifestation of power and oppression, relegating the feminine and its representations to a position of inferiority. We approach this issue from a decolonial perspective, recognizing that colonialism persists even after the end of colonial rule as a political regime for the exploitation of peoples and territories. The phenomenon of VAW necessitates collective actions. Healthcare professionals are predisposed to identify VAW in their patient interactions and form an integral part of the network of care for women. This research was conducted with 87 healthcare professionals in a municipality in the interior of Paraná, Brazil. The objectives were to understand how these professionals identify cases of domestic violence against women in their healthcare encounters, investigate the practice of reporting violence within the surveyed group, and contribute to the training of healthcare teams. We infer that the participants possessed a conceptual understanding of violence and its manifestations, but in the practical realm of healthcare delivery, the phenomenon often remains invisible. The practice of reporting is only partially adopted. Several reasons for underreporting emerged, including a lack of awareness regarding the existence and mandatory nature of reporting, inadequate training and education, and conceptual confusion between reporting and external communication. It was observed that obstacles to reporting persist, impeding comprehensive care delivery. The network of support and care becomes effective as healthcare professionals become acquainted with and activate the necessary mechanisms, which, in turn, fulfill their intended purposes and function collectively.