Between fear and silence

An analysis of domestic violence, social vulnerability and territory in the urban agglomerations of Belo Horizonte

Abstract

Domestic violence against women remains a structural problem in Brazil, shaped by gender, race, and class inequalities, and intensified in territories marked by conditions of social vulnerability. This article examines how residents of urban agglomerates in Belo Horizonte perceive domestic violence and how territorial vulnerability influences the normalization, persistence, and challenges involved in responding to this phenomenon. A qualitative approach was adopted, including bibliographic review, documentary analysis, and examination of official data, combining findings on lethality, institutional barriers, support networks, and territorial dynamics. The results show that fear, economic dependence, limited state presence, and symbolic distance between communities and institutions contribute to underreporting and hinder access to protection. The study concludes that public policies addressing domestic violence are only effective when they are territorialized, intersectoral, and built with the participation of the women who inhabit these areas.