Identity dimension of rural women and the sexual and reproductive health.
Michelle Barbosa Moratório de Paula, Ana Beatriz Azevedo Queiroz, Ívis Emília de Oliveira Souza and 3 others
PMID 37610950WHAT IT FOUND
Rural women in Brazil described sexual health as a duty rather than a choice, often enduring violence and avoiding contraception to prevent bringing children into abusive homes.
They coped by hiding weapons or using anxiolytics, but rarely sought help to break the cycle of abuse.
Key findings
01Participants viewed sex as an obligation within marriage, often lacking desire and using no contraceptives, while associating family happiness with the traditional nuclear structure.
02Domestic violence was frequently justified by participants as a result of their partners' alcohol consumption, leading to coping mechanisms like hiding objects or controlling fertility to avoid having more children.
03A minority of younger, more educated women rejected the normalization of violence and suggested reporting abuse or ending relationships, contrasting with the older majority who accepted their subordination.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was conducted in a single municipality in Brazil, so the findings may not apply to rural women in other regions or countries. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling mediated by community health agents, which may have introduced selection bias. The study relies on self-reported data about sensitive topics like violence and sexual behavior, which may be underreported or influenced by social desirability.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest were reported in the text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the women's justification of violence as acceptance of the abuse itself. The study shows they normalized the behavior to cope with their environment, not that they endorsed it or did not suffer from it. Also, do not assume all rural women share these views, as younger, more educated participants in the study rejected the normalization of violence.