Violence against women

Practices and social representations

Abstract

This article aims at analyzing the practices and social representations on violence against women in the cities of Maxixe and Nampula (Mozambique). A sample of 08 male aggressors and 23 female victims in those cities was interviewed, having developed a qualitative strategy that capitalizes on the representations, meanings and life experiences of both victims and aggressors. The results reveal that the families of origin the interviewees were extremely violent and it continued in their marriages. Furthermore, the results show a general drift of tolerance of violence against women by women themselves. The results also points out some institutional weaknesses due to the scarcity of resources to assist victims, which becomes the main obstacle on the support of female victims.