Secondary victimisation, procedural injustices, and machismo: the experiences of women who access Brazil’s not-so-specialised domestic violence courts

Abstract

ABSTRACT In 2006, Brazil’s domestic violence legislation came into force and, among other innovations, established specialised courts to deal with criminal offences committed against women in the domestic context. This legislation has been referred to by United Nations (UN) entities as a global model, particularly for the creation of such courts, which are structured to work within a multidisciplinary approach and in tandem with a network of services to support and protect victims against further violence. More recently, though, UN Women has acknowledged some limitations in their workings, particularly linked to the lack of coordination between agencies and of trained personnel. This article is aimed at supporting and illustrating such concerns. It draws on a larger empirical study to showcase how victims’ experiences of secondary victimisation are linked to judges’ focus on the criminal aspects of the Maria da Penha Law and to their lack of expertise in gender issues.