Assistance to the victim of sexual violence: the experience of the University of Taubaté

Abstract

This article describes the experience of a victim that expresses her incident in a Sexual Violence Support Group (GAVVIS). Sexual violence is a universal phenomenon that occurs with people of different social classes, ethnic groups, religions, cultures, different economic and social development levels. The impact of sexual violence to the sexual and reproductive health comes from physical traumas, sexual transmitted diseases, undesirable pregnancy and brings psychological injury, that produces serious and devastating effects to mental health, many times irrecoverable losses to mental health that complicates social reentrance of the victim. The Sexual Violence Support Group was created in 2004, and is a multidisciplinary team with Medicine, Nurse, and Law Professors, Psychologists of Gynecology and Obstetrics Service from University Hospital and Social Assistance professionals. The GAVVIS has appointments at University Hospital and the urgency and emergency assistance are given by doctors of Gynecology and Obstetrics Emergency Room. The goal of GAVVIS is to minimize trauma of sexual victims. We believe that GAVVIS is a model of assistance that increases professional awareness and critics, and stimulates their participation in actions that prevent injuries and promotes health.