Subnotificação da violência doméstica na atenção básica à saúde: uma realidade que afeta mulheres negras residentes no Subúrbio Ferroviário de Salvador

Abstract

This research is the result of reflections carried out in daily professional life, resulting from a lot of resistance in the face of challenges present in socio-occupational spaces, with emphasis on public health policy. It highlights a careful reading of expressions of the social issue related to gender and intersections. It is an effort to discuss the underreporting of domestic violence in primary care when it affects black women living in the Railway Suburb of Salvador. The choice of this theme is the result of perception of an increase in cases of domestic violence perpetrated against women, with a focus on black women, which are invisible in primary care notification records. That said, it is pertinent to say that domestic violence committed against women is not a recent problem. However, with the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been an enormous increase in cases of violence as a result of the social isolation measures adopted throughout the world. For many women, such measures required them to stay at home with their aggressors. Furthermore, when considering the racial dimensions, it appears that black women, living in the outskirts, are the biggest victims of this violence, and it is important to pay attention to this reality. According to the World Health Organization, violence against women is considered as a public health problem to be faced. In the meanwhile, underreporting of cases prevails within the scope of health policy. Therefore, it is considered urgent to bring visibility to cases of domestic violence that occur at the “gateway to health services”, that is, in primary care. In view of the above, this research presents a qualitative study, based on the general objective of analyzing which factors contribute to the increase in underreporting of cases of domestic violence in primary care, especially when it affects black women living in Subúrbio Ferroviário from Salvador. The specific objectives were: to identify the number of notifications made during the most intense period of Covid-19; to know the perception of professionals about domestic violence and about the non-reporting of cases; and also propose strategies to tackle this problem within the scope of public policies. To achieve the objectives, a literature review was used before and after empirical research, this carried out through the application of semi-structured interviews with 15 professionals who work in primary care in the Railway Suburb of Salvador, including professionals with training different from two health units. The results achieved in this research can be used to expand attention to an existing problem. The professionals' speech expresses their perception regarding violence in their daily professional activities and, the prevalence of cases involving black women lists factors for not reporting them, which challenges us to face this problem and indicates that there are much to advance as a public policy. Finally, it points out the need to continue deepening this discussion at the level of creating and strengthening public policies, so that with enough activism, bridges are built to confront domestic violence committed against black women.