Violent intimate relationships of Brazilian women in Portugal

Abstract

This study aims to understand the intimate experiences of immigrant Brazilian women living in Portugal, and also to characterize possible victimization experiences in their intimate relationships. The empirical base was constituted by 114 immigrant women, and the results show that the intimate experiences of these women are marked by violence episodes both in Portugal and in Brazil. The most frequent types of violence were psychological and verbal violence, with these practices occurring more than once in their intimate relationships. When experiencing violence episodes, these women do not seek help and do not file a formal complaint, which legitimizes and reinforces the victimization to which they are subjected. This study intends to contribute to the development of action strategies that lead to the real protection of immigrant victims and to challenge the greater risk that immigration can entail in the lives of immigrant women, especially for victims of intimate violence.