Violencia de género en las mujeres y la intervención de trabajo social en el Sistema de Protección y Asistencia a Víctimas, Testigos y Otros Participantes en el Proceso Penal de la provincia del Cañar, 2023 – 2024.

Abstract

Gender violence against women is a persistent social problem in Ecuador, with consequences that affect the physical, emotional, and social health of the victims, as well as their family and community environment. In the province of Cañar, this situation manifests mainly in close context such as relationships with current of former partners, where violence tends to persist through dynamics of control, dependence, and fear, making reporting and seeking help difficult. This research aimed to analyze gender violence against women and the intervention of Social Work in the Protection and Assistance System for Victims, Witnesses, and Other Participants in the Criminal Proceedings (SPAVT, by its Spanish acronym) in the province of Cañar during the period 2023–2024. The analysis was developed with a mixed-method, descriptive approach and cross-sectional design, comprising a population of eight women/cases. Data collection allowed for the identification of sociodemographic characteristics, forms of violence, relationship to the aggressor, presence of threats, consequences in daily life. The results evidenced a predominance of psychological violence, followed by physical and economic violence, together with the presence of death threats in some cases, which increases the level of risk. It is concluded that the intervention of Social Work within SPAVT plays a fundamental role in the comprehensive support, emotional guidance, interinstitutional coordination, and the strengthening of resilience, thus contributing to the protection and recovery of women who are victims of gender violence.