VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF CASES AND DEATHS REPORTED IN BAIXADA MARANHENSE, 2018-2022

Abstract

The objective was to characterize the epidemiological profile of cases and deaths due to violence against women reported in the Baixada Maranhense region of Brazil, from 2018 to 2022. This is a descriptive and quantitative study. Data on women victims of violence reported in Baixada Maranhense, from 2018 to 2022, obtained from the databases of the Notifiable Diseases Information System and the Mortality Information System, were used. The variables investigated were: age group, race, education, marital status, relationship with the aggressor, suspected alcohol use, place of occurrence, recurrence, type of violence, and means of aggression. A total of 725 cases and 43 deaths due to violence against women were identified. Most women were brown (77.0%), aged between 10 and 19 years (72.1%), and had up to 8 years of education (44.8%). Sexual violence was the most prevalent (66.1%) and recurrent (60.7%) type of violence, with the use of physical force/beating as the most common form of aggression (13.4%), domestic violence (79.3%), perpetrated by the victim's boyfriend (33.1%), and with no suspicion of alcohol use (71.9%). As for deaths, the predominant cases were women of mixed race (76.8%), aged between 30 and 39 years (30.2%), single (44.2%) with up to 11 years of education (41.9%). Most deaths occurred in hospitals (34.9%), with the use of sharp/penetrating objects (30.2%) being the most frequent form of aggression. The results emphasize the need to strengthen intersectoral actions aimed at expanding the care and protection network for victims.