Prevalence and factors associated with violence suffered by incarcerated women for drug trafficking in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil: a cross-sectional study/Prevalencia e fatores associados a violencia sofrida em mulheres encarceradas por trafico de drogas no estado de Pernambuco, Brasil: um estudo transversal

• Published in: Ciência & saude coletiva Vol. 19; no. 7; p. 2255
• Main Authors: Ferreira, Valquiria Pereira, da Silva, Maria Arleide, Neto, Carlos Noronha, Neto, Gilliatt Hanois Falbo, Chaves, Cynthia Vasconcelos, Bello, Rodrigo Pereira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Portuguese
• Published: Associacao Brasileira de Pos-Graduacao em Saude Coletiva - ABRASCO 01.07.2014
• Subjects: Brasil
• ISSN: 1413-8123
• DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232014197.10012013

The scope of this study was to estimate the prevalence and factors associated with the violence suffered by women accused of drug trafficking in the 24 months prior to incarceration in the Women's Penal Colony in the State of Pernambuco. A cross-sectional study including 290 women aged 18 and above, with up to twelve months imprisonment, was performed for the data collection period. A questionnaire was applied to research the socioeconomic and demographic variables and the characteristics of violence and drug trafficking. All of the participants signed a consent form. The association between variables and intensity of exposure and response were determined by the chi-square test and the values (p < 0.05) were considered statistically significant. The study revealed that 71.4% of women were young; 78.9% non white, 85.8% unmarried with children, 83.3% had low education and 72.6% had income below the minimum wage. Furthermore, 56.9% were users of illicit drugs and 67.5% participated by performing some role in drug trafficking. A high prevalence of some form of violence suffered were observed in the population studied and the partner was the most frequent perpetrator (44.1%), calling for the authorities to pay greater attention in the actions of prevention of such violence. Key words Violence against women, Prevalence, Illicit drugs, Prisons Este estudo objetivou estimar a prevalencia e os fatores associados a violencia sofrida nos 24 meses anteriores ao encarceramento de mulheres por trafico de drogas em Colonia Penal Feminina no Estado de Pernambuco. Realizou-se um estudo de corte transversal incluindo 290 mulheres com 18 ou mais anos de idade e com ate doze meses de encarceramento no periodo da coleta de dados. Utilizou-se como instrumento um questionario pesquisando variaveis socioeconomicas e demograficas e caracteristicas da violencia e do trafico de drogas. Todas as participantes assinaram o Termo de Consentimento Livre e Esclarecido. A associacao e a intensidade entre as variaveis de exposicao e resposta foram determinadas pelo teste qui-quadrado e valores (p < 0,05) considerados estatisticamente significantes. O estudo mostrou que 71,4% das mulheres eram jovens; 78,9% nao brancas; 85,8% solteiras com filhos; 83,3% tinham baixa escolaridade e 72,6% recebiam renda inferior ao salario minimo. Usaram drogas ilicitas 47,3% e desenvolveram algum papel no trafico de drogas 67,5%. Prevalencias elevadas para algum tipo de violencia sofrida foram observadas na populacao estudada e o companheiro foi identificado como perpetrador mais frequente (44,1%), sugerindo maior atencao das autoridades nas acoes de prevencao desses agravos. Palavras-chave Violencia contra a mulher, Prevalencia, Drogas ilicitas, Prisoes