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CC BY 4.0 · Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet 2021; 43(04): 341-346
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1729994
Febrasgo Position Statement

Guidelines for care in sexual violence: the role of medical training

Number 4 -April 2021
Anibal Eusébio Faundes Latham 
1   Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
,
Cristião Fernando Rosas 
2   Maternidade Escola Vila Nova Cachoeirinha, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
,
Helena Borges Martins da Silva Paro 
3   Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
,
Michele Lopes Pedrosa 
4   Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
,
Rivaldo Mendes de Albuquerque 
5   Universidade de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
,
Robinson Dias de Medeiros 
6   Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
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Keypoints

  • Despite the high frequency and morbidity and mortality associated with violence against women, this problem is often overlooked in both medical and tocogynecological practice.

  • Violence against women is highly prevalent. Globally, one in every three women in the world has experienced physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner or any other abuser in their lifetime. It is a hidden violence that needs to be identified in a way that allows victims' embracement and provision of appropriate care.

  • In Brazil, a rape occurs every eight minutes. Most victims of sexual violence result not only in emergency health problems, but also have negative and lasting consequences to health in general and especially to sexual and reproductive health. These repercussions are also observed in women who suffer other types of violence, such as physical and psychological.

  • User embracement and quality and humanized care have a positive impact on the reduction of health problems resulting from sexual violence, as well as on the guarantee of human, sexual and reproductive rights.

  • Being at people's side in situations of sexual violence in order to guarantee their basic rights to health and dignity is a professional duty. These rights may include termination of rape-related pregnancy.

  • In general, the discussion of human, sexual and reproductive rights is not included in the curricular structures of health professionals' training. Topics such as gender violence, attention to health problems resulting from sexual violence and abortion provided for by law are not addressed in undergraduate medicine courses or, when they are, it is in superficial manner.

  • Medical courses, medical residency and Master's and PhD postgraduate programs do not include health care in situations of sexual violence and abortion provided for by law.

  • Due to professional difficulty or lack of knowledge, conscientious objection is often invoked when handling cases of victims of sexual violence. The allegation of conscientious objection can create barriers to care, which contributes to higher risk and vulnerability of girls and women in situations of sexual violence in Brazil.

The National Specialty Commission for Sexual Violence and Abortion Provided for by Law of the Brazilian Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Associations (FEBRASGO) endorses to this document. The content production is based on scientific studies on a thematic proposal and the findings presented contribute to clinical practice.




Publication History

Article published online:
12 May 2021

© 2021. Federação Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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