Rompendo o silêncio e construindo a proteção: violência de gênero na Unioeste Campus de Francisco Beltrão

Abstract

Gender-based violence is an increasingly prominent topic in contemporary research across a wide range of fields of knowledge, since the presence of this phenomenon, unfortunately, remains deeply rooted in various spheres of society. However, despite the growing discussions surrounding this issue, there is still a long way to go due to the challenges of addressing the sensitive issues involved, as well as the multiple intersections that may arise within contexts of violence. This study aimed to understand the violence perpetrated against women within the university context. To this end, it sought to identify such violence in academic spaces and events at the Western Paraná State University (UNIOESTE), Francisco Beltrão campus. The main issues investigated were students’ perceptions of the subject and the institutional measures proposed to confront gender-based violence. This is a qualitative-quantitative study based on bibliographic research, drawing on the theoretical framework available in the catalog of Theses and Dissertations of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), as well as other publications relevant to the discussion. Data collection was carried out through a digital questionnaire with a voluntary participation sample of 66 respondents, a number resulting from the process of institutional silencing that hinders the recognition of violence, access to information, and reporting. As part of the methodological process, semi-structured interviews were also conducted with 12 different university representatives. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis, which revealed, among many other findings, the importance of support networks and the urgent need for policies that encourage reporting and broaden discussion within academic spaces, given that the most frequently reported occurrence was sexual harassment perpetrated by peers and professors within classrooms.