Brasília, 3/9/2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Although women are a majority in Brazil (50.77% of the population), and the main users of the country's public health system (SUS), as the victims of domestic violence and sexual assaults they have also become a serious public health problem. That is the main result of a study by the World Health Organization, in São Paulo and the backlands (Zona da Mata) of the state of Pernambuco.

The study found that in both São Paulo and the Pernambuco backlands women who are victims of violence are three times as likely to consider suicide as women who are not victims of violence. Around a third (36%) of the women who are injured in domestic violence need medical care.

As a result, and as part of International Women's Day activities, the government has now made it mandatory for hospitals and first aid stations to report cases of violence against women. In the future, the public health system will be authorized to perform abortions in cases of risk of life or rape. And the ministry of Health says that over the next three years it will expand its facilities for assisting female victims of violence by 30%. (AB)