Sexual Violence Against Women. The Role Of Gynecology And Obstetrics Societies In Brazil

Sexual violence is highly prevalent although barely visible in most countries. While its prevention is a task of the whole society, the care of the women who suffer sexual violence, from immediate assistance to treatment of its consequences, is a responsibility of obstetricians-gynecologists. One of the most severe consequences of rape is unwanted pregnancy, which frequently ends in abortion. Currently, even in countries where abortion following rape is accepted by the law, raped women do not have access to legal abortion. The role of obstetricians-gynecologists in solving this problem is described, giving as an example the work of the Brazilian Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Societies (FEBRASGO). After 5 years of work of a special FEBRASGO Committee, services for the comprehensive care of women victims of sexual violence exist in all mayor cities in Brazil and are rapidly expanding. © 2002 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.78SUPPL. 1S67S73Camargo, L., (1994) Médico diz que UNICAMP Faz Abortos, pp. B1. , Folha de São Paulo. June 16Golding, J.M., Wilsnack, S.C., Learman, L.A., Prevalence of sexual assault history among women with common gynecological symptoms (1998) Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol., 179, pp. 1013-1019Faundes, A., Hardy, E., Osis, M.J., Duarte, G., O risco de queixas ginecológicas e disfunções sexuais segundo historia de violencia sexual (2000) Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetricia, 22, pp. 27-32Osis, M.J.D., Hardy, E., Faundes, A., Alves, G., Balarezo, G., Opinião das mulheres sobre as circunstancias em que os hospitais deveriam fazer aborto (1994) Cadernos de Saúde Pública, 10, pp. 320-330Gollop, T.R., Apêndice (2001) Cadernos Jurídicos, 2, pp. 101-115. , Torres JHR. Abortamento nos casos de malformação fetalColas, O.R., Andalaft Neto, J., Rosas, C.F., Kater, J.R., Pereira, I.G., Aborto legal por estupro. Primeiro programa público do país (1994) Bioética, 2, pp. 81-85Faúndes, A., Duarte, G.A., Osis, M.J.D., Bento, S., Normas e procedimentos jurídico-legais utilizados para obtenção do aborto legal nos serviços de saúde no Brasil (1997) RBGO, 19 (3), pp. 171-176Faúndes, A., Bedone, A., Pinto e Silva, J.L., I Forum interprofissional para implementação do atendimento ao aborto previsto na lei. Relatório Final (1997) Femina, 25, pp. 1-8Faúndes, A., Oliveira, G., Andalaft, J.N., II Forum Interprofissional Sobre atendimento ao Aborto Previsto na Lei (1998) Femina, 26, pp. 134-138Villela, W.V., Ampliación del acceso de las mujeres al aborto legal: La experiencia brasileña (2001) Estrategias para el acceso al aborto legal y seguro. Un estudio en once paises, , B. Klugman, & D. Budlender. Johannesburg: University of Witwatersrand(1999) Prevenção e Tratamento dos Agravos Resultantes da Violência Sexual Contra Mulheres e Adolescentes - Norma Técnica, , Brasíli