Sexual violence and body image construction of women who experienced violence during childhood and/or adolescence

Abstract

Abstract: This article is an experience report that aims introduce and discuss sexual violence experiences among cisgender women occurred during their childhood and/or adolescence and repercussions in the construction of body image. Listening to these women was based on the experience of one resident psychologist during the Multi-Professional Residency period in a Hospital and in a Family Health Unit, located in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. From the use of soft technologies and the clinic of affects approach, the hearing of women’s report revealed sexual violence stories in childhood that were committed, mostly for their fathers and stepfathers, unprotection, abandonment and violence committed by maternal figures, absence of attention and psychosocial follow-up to their situations of violence, as well as devaluation of their self-image and body image. The experiences of sexual violence that were reported reaffirm the transversalities of class, race and gender markers in these women stories, and the need for health services to promote listening strategies, bonds and support for physical and mental health care for this profile of users, from the perspective of integrity of care.   Keywords: Sexual Violence; Body Image; Psychology.