Academic Culture and Politics, Mental Health, and Harassment in Brazilian Universities: A Critical Gendered-Racial Diagnosis and Response

 

Location: Brazil

 

Recent studies have highlighted the prevalence of gender-based violence within Brazilian universities, particularly within the framework of sexual harassment. Despite this, Brazil has a significant research gap, with limited efforts to systematically map the phenomenon, understand its causes and implications, and develop transformative policies. This research project addresses this void by conducting a university-wide mixed-methods study in two prominent Brazilian public universities, namely the Federal University of Minas Gerais and the Federal University of Goiás. The objectives of this research are twofold: (a) to measure the prevalence of physical violence, psychological violence, economic violence, sexual violence, and sexual harassment, and (b) to comprehend the experiences of gender-based violence, sexual harassment, and their impact on mental health, with a focus on unacknowledged aspects affecting individuals from racial/ethnic minorities. The study will involve four participant groups – undergraduate and graduate students, professors, and administrative personnel. By comparing these two universities, situated in different regions with distinct profiles the research aims to identify key forms of gender-based violence, discern likely perpetrators and victims, examine the impact on academic performance, mental health, and general well-being, and assess existing institutional response mechanisms. The research will facilitate the mapping of institutional policy instruments. These instruments are intended to be discussed and potentially adopted by the two academic institutions and will be crucial in fostering long-term transformative change.

 

Mariana Prandini Assis

Personal Investigator

 

Cristiano Rodrigues

Co-investigator