Conjugal violence: An interactional phenomenon

Abstract

Conjugal violence is one of the most relevant phenomena in family psychotherapy and in public health in general because, besides the physical and psychological damages it brings, both in partners and the children that live with it directly or indirectly, it needs to be addressed by a multitude of actions to be prevented and treated. This article advances a critical review of the literature about the concepts of gender violence, violence against women and conjugal violence. Firstly, a panorama of the gravity of this phenomenon is drawn, emphasizing the historical and transgenerational character of intrafamily violence. We discuss the risk factors involved in this type of violence. We also describe the results of research that identify the profile of those involved in family violence and the characteristics of the links they have in the contexts where they are inserted. Secondly, we detail the perspectives of different authors in order to understand violence that occurs between members of a couple, characterizing it as preponderantly unidirectional (with victims and abusers well-established in a context of asymmetric violence) or as a relational phenomenon (part of the interactional pattern of a couple). Here we point to the systemic approach as a theoretical perspective to be used to understand this phenomenon. Eventually, we advance a reflection upon the possibilities of preventive and therapeutic action of family therapists and health professionals towards conjugal violence as a way of minimizing the damages brought by it and of promoting healthier conjugal links.

Key words: gender violence, violence against women, conjugal violence.