Entre registros e silêncios: uma análise interseccional e decolonial sobre o acesso à justiça de mulheres em situação de violência

Abstract

This thesis analyzes the intersectional dynamics of gender, race, class, and other markers of inequality that affect women experiencing violence in Pato Branco, Paraná, Brazil. The study examines how these dimensions structure experiences of violence and produce inequalities in access to justice, considering the role of institutions in the assistance and protection of these women. To this end, I adopt a qualitative-quantitative methodology, grounded in decolonial and intersectional approaches. In the qualitative stage, I conducted systematic observation of 14 service encounters involving women in situations of violence, 10 of which were carried out by the Women’s Police Station of Pato Branco (DEAMPB) and four by the Legal Practice Center of Centro Universitário de Pato Branco (NPJ Afya PB). The quantitative data were obtained from the electronic database of the Civil Police of Paraná (PCPR) and from information provided by the Center for Analysis, Planning, and Statistics of Paraná, linked to the State Secretariat of Public Security (CAPE SESP/PR). The results indicate that, in 2024, the municipality of Pato Branco ranked first among municipalities in the southwestern region of Paraná in the number of police reports (BO) of bodily injury resulting from domestic violence. In a broader analysis covering the period from 2021 to 2024, cases of psychological and physical violence are predominantly concentrated in the domestic sphere and in peripheral neighborhoods of the southern region of the municipality, revealing the persistence of dynamics of oppression in a society marked by colonialism and coloniality. White women appear in greater absolute numbers in the records; however, proportionally to the municipality’s demographic composition, vulnerability is more pronounced among Black and Brown women. Regarding education, incomplete primary or secondary education predominates, indicating a relationship between educational inequalities and greater exposure to violence. I also observed a higher incidence of records among young women, single or in stable unions, as well as on weekends. These findings confirm that violence is shaped by multiple intersecting markers, reinforcing the need for intersectional strategies of intervention targeted at the most vulnerable groups. In this sense, I argue that violence against women—not only domestic violence—is neither natural nor episodic, but rather constituted through the articulation of colonialism, patriarchy, and structural racism. Thus, this research contributes to the debate on gender and violence by providing empirical and analytical support for the formulation of public policies aimed at reducing violence against women in the municipality.