Abstract

BUSSINGER, Rebeca  and  NOVO, Helerina. Endurance of victims of violence: pain and solidarity among mothers in an association of the state of Espírito Santo. Rev. psicol. polít. [online]. 2008, vol.8, n.15, pp.107-120. ISSN 2175-1390.

The Brazilian justice system has been characterized, among other aspects, by its slowness, the bureaucracy involved in the solution of cases, and partiality when dealing with the population. Such aspects, together with the increase of urban violence, have sowed in the population a feeling of disbelief in the judicial system and encouraged practices of private justice. This study aims to present the endurance of mothers of murdered children from the moment of the crime until their inclusion and participation in the Association of Mothers and Relatives of Victims of Violence of the state of Espírito Santo. The results reveal that a child’s death by murder involves the social representations of motherhood of the researched group, in which the repair of the damage caused presupposes personal revenge, a feeling which also arises from the lack of trust in the judicial system. Justice is removed from the level of concrete measures and the responsibility for its actualization is transferred to an absolute legislator, God.

Keywords : Violence; Murder; Justice; Mothers; Social representations.

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