Relacionamentos abusivos: significados atribuídos por um grupo de jovens acadêmicos da UFAM

Abstract

This research focuses on the theme "abusive relationships" from the historical-cultural approach of Vygotsky, having a qualitative exploratory character. An abusive relationship is considered one in which there are excessive control practices coming from one of the partners directed at the other or both, being permeated by various forms of violence. In order to understand the meanings attributed by a group of 16 young academics from the Federal University of Amazonas to this issue, a focal group composed by eight participants was carried out along with eight individual semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed through nuclei of meaning, aiming to raise the themes / contents that stood out, being that these themes are revealed in words meant in their context, agglutinated following the criteria of similarity, complementarity and counterposition. Nineteen indicators were gathered, which served as a basis for the formation of five major nuclei of significance: 1: Jealousy; 2º: Excessive Behavior Control; 3º: Violence; 4º: The perpetrator and 5º: Experiences from the Victim, which show that the internalization of the social signs referring to the norms of gender cross the whole relationship. In addition to promoting a pattern of how one should or should not experience the relationship, these behavior signs work to contribute and increase masculine desires, against women. Insecurity and jealousy have emerged as the most preponderant risk factors for abuses within the relationship. From the perception of a possible rival, control behaviors emerged as one of the main forms of violence experienced by this group of academics. In addition, physical, psychological and moral violence were reported, but the most frequent and most difficult to identify was psychological violence. The perpetrator of violence was recognized as insecure, manipulative and with low social skills. Victims lived a flow of abuse within relationships, having their needs largely overlooked and reached in various ways, but because of low selfesteem, non-perception of abuse, fear, and compensative emotional gains, they chose to remain in the relationship. In general, the perception of being in an abusive relationship occurred after innumerable stressful and violent situations allied to external warnings (usually by friends) and the abusive relationships experienced left marks that accompany the participants for the next relationships. It is concluded that in order to confront the intimacy processes of violence, a collective effort is required in the deconstruction of the cultural signs that legitimize a male social domination.