WELCOMING FEMALE VOICES: THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT IN COMBATING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
violence against women, writing, education, gender inequality, feminine gender.
This study proposes a critical reflection within the environment on violence against women. It aims to foster a qualitative understanding of the experiences of women at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ), Duque de Caxias campus, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The institution is understood as a potential space for combating violence and gender inequality. Methodologically, this research is situated within the field of lived experience analysis, employing Conceição Evaristo’s (2020) concept of escrevivência—a mode of writing that seeks to elucidate women’s voices, especially those of Black women, and their life experiences, viewing writing as a means of resistance and expression of silenced realities.The study categorizes the forms of violence experienced by female students and staff at this institution and investigates how these experiences impact their lives, based on data collected through questionnaires, discussion circles, and poetry workshops conducted with women from the campus. The research seeks to identify the various types of violence faced by participants—including physical, psychological, sexual, symbolic, and institutional forms—and to explore their repercussions on women’s psychological, social, and academic well-being. The descriptive analysis of the data stems from the understanding that structural violence affects not only individual trajectories but also collective ones, shaping women’s everyday practices and influencing how these experiences mold their identities and lived realities. Ultimately, this study seeks to contribute to the creation of a safer and more inclusive educational environment by providing insights that may support the development of public policies and institutional actions focused on the care and protection of women. This research was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ) under Opinion No. 7.661.673, via the Plataforma Brasil system, with the Certificate of Ethical Appreciation Presentation (CAAE) number: 87728625.8.0000.0311.