The face victimized: morbidity between women incoming in sentinel service in Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Throughout history, many men use violence against their partners as a way of asserting their identity and virile dominance. In many situations, aggressions are directed at the face that precisely represents the center of human attention. Objective: This article aims to analyze emergency care for women who have experienced violence in the head and neck. Methodology: A total of 351 consultations with adult women between 15 and 49 years of age were analyzed in relation to the occurrence of violence in the head and neck region, which corresponds to 40.6% of women victims of violence. Results: The occurrence of violence was predominant in young, black women with little education. Violence was more frequent at home (45.5%) and the reference to the intention of the act of violence by the aggressor predominated among victims of violence. In all cases, victims of aggression in the head and neck region suffered physical violence, with the aggressor being male (77.4%) and identified as an intimate partner or ex-partner in 44.5%. Conclusions: It is increasingly important that the service is prepared to receive these women victims of violence, through the establishment of Care Networks and the effectiveness of intersectorality. This also presupposes a greater involvement of the dentist in the identification and reception of these victims for later referrals.

Keywords: Domestic violence, face, morbidity, female.