THE ROLE OF PSYCHOLOGISTS AT CREAS IN SOCIAL WORK WITH FAMILIES IN SITUATIONS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Abstract

Domestic violence is characterized by acts of aggression directed toward children, adolescents, adults, and older adults, with perpetrators often being members of the victims’ own families. These incidents occur within the family unit or domestic environment and may be classified as physical, psychological, sexual, moral, or patrimonial violence. This issue has affected the lives of countless individuals, as the number of cases has progressively increased, leading to long-term consequences for those involved. In this context, the present study aims to elucidate the possibilities for professional practice of psychologists working at the Specialized Reference Center for Social Assistance (Centro de Referência Especializado de Assistência Social – CREAS) in assisting families experiencing domestic violence. The methodology was based on an integrative bibliographic review, consisting of searches for governmental publications and scientific articles in the databases LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature), PePsic (Electronic Psychology Journals), and SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online), accessed through the Virtual Health Library (BVS Salud), covering the period from 2014 to 2024. The results indicated that situations of aggression significantly affect all individuals involved; therefore, psychological intervention seeks to minimize these impacts through reception and welcoming practices, home visits, awareness campaigns, articulation of interdisciplinary support networks, and group meetings. It is concluded that the social work carried out by psychologists at CREAS in situations of domestic violence aims to provide holistic care, with the objective of interrupting patterns of abuse and promoting the well-being of assisted victims.