Domestic Violence Against Women Perpetrated by Intimate Partner: Professionals' Social Representations in Primary Health Care

Objective: Our goal herein has been to gain further insights regarding the professionals' social representations in Primary Health Care (PHC) related to violence against women perpetrated by an intimate partner. Methods: Qualitative research having focus on Social Representations, which was analyzed by the Structural Analysis of Narrative. The study scenarios were eight PHC units from the municipality of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Eight focus groups were carried out, where each group participants number ranged from 8 to 12, comprising a total of 53 professionals. Results: Two categories appeared: 1. From popular saying, the domestic violence banalization against women identifying the meaning cores: "do not interfere in a couple fight"; "high incidence of violence legitimized in the social representations". 2. In defense of the intimate partner abuser held the meaning cores: "alcohol and other drugs as violence triggers"; "representations associated to gender perspectives"; "guilt imputation towards the woman". Conclusions: This study showed that violence against women is legitimized, accepted and tolerated according to participants' speeches. Moreover, violence against women has been also inferred as something imputed/inherent to women.