Brazilian Public Policies for Assistance to Women in Situations of Violence: Contributions from Culturo-Behavioral Science

Brazilian public policies establish that the assistance to women in situations of violence should be carried out by networks comprising health, social assistance, public safety, and justice services. To solve intersectoral problems faced by the networks, the government suggests the creation of units of the Brazilian Woman’s House (BWH) – an organization that concentrates the principal services. The objective of this study was to analyze the strategy of the BWH in the context of the networks from a culturo-behavioral science perspective. Toward this objective, national laws, statistical data, and public information related to BWH were analyzed. The analysis of the macrosystem indicates that the existence of a BWH places the services that compose it under the control of a common set of external variables, which can make the effects of legislation and funding more predictable. The organization’s Total Performance System shows that reports constitute an essential aggregate product for stakeholders to exercise social control over this public policy. The process level analysis endorses the advantages of implementing BWH units. Some suggestions are made for changes in the wording of BWH legislation that might make BWH’s products and the social control of this policy more likely. The recommendations presented should only be considered as a starting point for a broad discussion and future action. It is hoped that this study will support further analysis of the actual BWHs and inform reformulations of this public policy.