{"id":79840,"date":"2024-10-15T06:34:16","date_gmt":"2024-10-15T09:34:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=79840"},"modified":"2024-10-16T10:49:03","modified_gmt":"2024-10-16T13:49:03","slug":"violence-is-literally-sickening-a-mothers-testimony-corroborates-research-showing-that-police-violence-and-the-denial-of-the-right-to-grieve-cause-physical-and-mental-illness-in-brazil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=79840","title":{"rendered":"Violence Is Literally Sickening: A Mother\u2019s Testimony Corroborates Research Showing That Police Violence and the Denial of the Right to Grieve Cause Physical and Mental Illness in Brazil"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Victims\u2019<\/a>
Victims\u2019 family members suffer disproportionately from health problems due to violence perpetrated by the State. Photo: Ramon Vellasco<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas<\/strong><\/i><\/em><\/i><\/em><\/a><\/h4>\n

\u201cThere are days when we just want to cry, to stay in bed, and not speak to anyone because we don\u2019t have our children to hug anymore.\u201d \u2014 Gilsara Mendes, mother of Thiago<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The story of Gilsara*, a resident of Jacarezinho<\/a> for 24 years and mother of three children, is a striking portrait of the reality imposed by armed violence in favelas. Her oldest son, Thiago*, was killed by the police during the Jacarezinho Massacre<\/a> on May 6, 2021.<\/p>\n

Besides the pain of her loss, Gilsara lives with the challenge of raising her other children, Jorge and Saulo, in an environment characterized by insecurity and the constant threat of new conflicts. The mental health<\/a> of the whole family is fragile and access to quality public health services is difficult.<\/p>\n

The Jacarezinho Massacre, which resulted in the death of 28 people<\/a>, including Thiago, is an example of the government\u2019s failure to guarantee public security<\/a> and the right to life of its citizens. The community lives under the constant fear of violent police operations, which generate an environment of terror and helplessness.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor New Year’s<\/a>, we thought about organizing something. I was going to my sister-in-law\u2019s house, since she always puts something together. She was having a barbecue and invited us over, but we weren\u2019t able to leave our home. My son Jorge had been able to go out earlier and was at a friend\u2019s house. But me, my husband, and my younger son were stuck at home due to a gunfight that broke out at around 9pm, which made it unsafe to go out.\u201d \u2014 Gilsara Mendes<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In spite of complaints circulating on social media and on the news about residents\u2019 rights being violated, constant police operations in Jacarezinho during the month of January 2024 created a tense atmosphere due to gunshots and abuses of authority, particularly around New Year\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Besides that, since Thiago\u2019s death in 2021, what should have been happy moments have become sad memories for Gilsara:<\/p>\n

\u201c[Thiago] loved parties, highlighting his hair and going out to have a good time with his friends. He’d stay home with us until midnight and then go out to dance parties. All the violence committed by the State falls entirely on the family, because the authorities take no responsibility for caring for us after the police operations and the violations they perpetrate.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Rio de Janeiro\u2019s \u201cantidrug policy\u201d is a failed war, causing public insecurity by focusing on police operations in the favelas instead of investing in intelligence capabilities. The more money invested in arms, the more the public suffers from police violence<\/a>. In 2023, an unprecedented study<\/a> called Favelas as Target Ranges: the Impact of the War on Drugs on the Economy of the Territories<\/em>, published by the Center for Studies on Public Security and Citizenship (CESeC<\/a>), showed that police actions in favelas have caused losses<\/a> of at least R$14 million (~US$2.5 million) per year to the residents of these communities, not to mention the countless more serious consequences, like deaths and the destabilization of the survivors\u2019 lives. All of this is avoidable. Those who suffer most<\/a> from this misguided policy<\/a> are people unconnected to organized crime. These actions destabilize the economic life and physical and mental health of families and their neighbors’.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot everything can be resolved with guns and by the police invading favelas<\/a>, treating socially vulnerable people as criminals.\u201d \u2014 Gilsara Mendes<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Fogo Cruzado Institute<\/a> conducted a seven-year study on police violence in Rio de Janeiro, collecting data on children and youth who were victims of police operations. Between July 5, 2016, and July 8, 2023, 601 children and adolescents were shot in the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Region<\/a>. Adolescents accounted for 78% of the victims (231 killed and 237 wounded). Among the 133 children who were shot, 36 were killed and 97 were wounded. At least 63 children and adolescents were shot while inside their homes (37 killed and 26 wounded). Twelve were shot inside schools, with one killed and 11 wounded. Seven others were shot while on their way to or from school. Police actions and operations were the main cause of death among children and adolescents during the seven years of the study. Women suffer the most from the pain of losing their children, as historically they have been responsible for maintaining the emotional and economic stability of their families.<\/p>\n

\"Memorial<\/a>
Memorial demonstration the day after the Jacarezinho Massacre in May 2021. Photo: Ramon Vellasco<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Health at Risk: Firearms and Chronic Illnesses<\/h3>\n

In 2017 and 2022, CESeC conducted unprecedented research as part of the study Drugs: the cost of prohibition<\/em><\/a>, confirming what is already evident regarding security, justice, education, health, and territory. 1,500 residents from six different regions of Rio de Janeiro were interviewed. Three areas were identified as the most affected by gunfights involving State agents: Complexo da Mar\u00e9<\/a>, Vidigal<\/a>, and Manguinhos<\/a>. It\u2019s important to highlight the racial aspect of the findings below: the population in the favelas is predominantly Black<\/a>, with many already living in vulnerable conditions. 66.2% of homes in favelas<\/a> are occupied by Black people.<\/p>\n

\"How<\/a>
How much public money does the war on drugs cost Brazil? How else could this money be used? What are the actual results of prohibition? Art by Laerte<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The study shows<\/a> that in areas with more frequent police operations, at least 51% of the people interviewed suffer from physical or mental disorders such as arterial hypertension, chronic insomnia, anxiety, or depression. In regions with fewer cases of armed conflict, this percentage drops to 35.9%. In areas with constant conflict, the risk of residents developing hypertension is 42%, and 73% for chronic insomnia. Depression affects 29.6% of people aged 18 to 45 in areas with more frequent gunfights, while in regions with fewer cases, 15.7% of residents suffer from this condition.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am physically weak and debilitated. I have diabetes, high blood pressure, and anxiety attacks. We go on living through these situations again and again which leaves us even more tired.\u201d \u2013 Gilsara Mendes<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"In<\/a>
In the families of the victims of State violence, depression is a common symptom. Here, a family member of one of the victims of the Jacarezinho Massacre looks into the grave of his child during the exhumation of their remains. Photo: Ramon Vellasco<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The study also shows that at least 30% of residents exposed to armed violence report experiencing immediate negative effects during gunfights, such as sweating, insomnia, tremors, and shortness of breath, with 43% reporting an accelerated heartbeat when hearing gunshots close to their homes.<\/p>\n

According to the Municipal Health Secretariat<\/a>, 445 health units were closed in 2022. The CESeC study shows<\/a> that in communities more exposed to State violence, at least 59.5% of interviewees reported that, at some point, these units were closed due to security risks and police violence. In favelas less exposed to violence, the number of closures dropped to 13%. Approximately 26% of residents in regions most affected by armed conflict had to postpone seeking health care, while in less affected regions, only 6% had to delay seeking care. Among health professionals, in the more conflict-affected areas, 31.6% of residents reported that they stopped working because of gunfights. In areas with less violence, this number was below 12%.<\/p>\n

The annual cost of closing health units amounts to over R$300,000 (~US$53,600) in public spending, plus the costs of treating people who become ill due to this necropolitical policy. The annual State investment in treating patients with arterial hypertension and depression can vary between R$69,000 and R$95,000 (~US$12,300 to US$17,000, based on 2022 figures). Yet, so many people are killed, wounded, or made ill by state violence. So much money spent, with no concrete results<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Impact of Silence<\/h3>\n

The fatalities resulting from police operations extend beyond the immediate victims. Gilsara reports the death of at least three mothers and one father who couldn\u2019t bear the pain of losing their children in the Jacarezinho Massacre. In January 2022, one year later, Dona Rosangela*, the mother of another victim, developed depression and anxiety attacks, and other health problems that ultimately led to her death. In December 2022, Dona L\u00facia dos Santos*, another grieving mother, suffered from anxiety and depression crises, and due to the lack of timely medical care, died on the way to the hospital. Between November and December 2023, Dona Denise Miranda*, also the mother of a young man killed in the massacre, became depressed and socially isolated, which worsened her health and resulted in her death.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The mother of a victim of the Jacarezinho Massacre holds an urn containing the remains of her child, shortly after Mother\u2019s Day 2024. Photo: Ramon Vellasco<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In March of 2023, Mr. Jorge da Silva*, father of one of the victims and husband of Dona Angela*, also succumbed to the emotional toll of the tragedy. Having sunk into a deep depression, he tirelessly searched for his son, wandering through the favela at all hours of the day and night. During one of these searches, he was shot in the chest during a police operation and died.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese days, I’m trying to get back to some parts of my routine, to take care of myself a little, to give a bit more attention to my children. After Thiago\u2019s death, we were completely lost. My 17-year-old son, Jorge, for instance used to be the type of boy who followed everything online and stood up for everything and everyone. After his brother died, he couldn\u2019t focus on his studies and has repeated his first year of high school three times. Saulo, my ten year old, has mild autism, and suffered a lot after losing his brother. After the massacre and my son\u2019s death, I’d just walk around the house crying, unable to give my other children the attention they needed. Now, I am looking for assistance and support with my physical and psychological health.\u201d \u2014 Gilsara Mendes<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

*<\/i>The names in this article are fictitious in order to protect the privacy and security of the <\/span><\/i>interviewees.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

About the author: Ramon Vellasco is a freelance photojournalist and reporter, born and raised in Vila da Penha. He focuses on issues related to human rights, culture, education, diversity, and marginalized social groups, primarily working in peripheral, favela, areas.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Support\u00a0RioOnWatch\u2019s tireless, critical and cutting-edge hyperlocal journalism, online community organizing meetings, and direct support to favelas\u00a0by clicking here<\/a>.<\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas \u201cThere are days when we just want to cry, to stay in bed, and not speak to anyone because we don\u2019t have our children to hug anymore.\u201d \u2014 Gilsara Mendes, mother […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":245,"featured_media":78235,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1277,1288,1328,335,336],"tags":[2630,107,2414,25,3359,1862,3313,2999,213,2910,2481,423,809,740,2600,268,30],"writer":[3696],"translator":[3361],"illustrator":[],"photographer":[3730],"class_list":{"0":"post-79840","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-uppwatch","8":"category-highlight","9":"category-by-community-contributors","10":"category-policies","11":"category-violations","12":"tag-civil-police","13":"tag-health","14":"tag-health-secretariat","15":"tag-human-rights","16":"tag-jacarezinho-massacre","17":"tag-mental-health","18":"tag-murder","19":"tag-necropolitics","20":"tag-rede-contra-violencia","21":"tag-police-massacre","22":"tag-police-violence","23":"tag-psychological-terror","24":"tag-public-security","25":"tag-research-findings","26":"tag-right-to-the-favela","27":"tag-state-violence","28":"tag-urban-violence","29":"writer-ramon-vellasco","30":"translator-fred-hanson","31":"photographer-ramon-vellasco"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79840","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/245"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=79840"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79840\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":79866,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79840\/revisions\/79866"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/78235"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=79840"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=79840"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=79840"},{"taxonomy":"writer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fwriter&post=79840"},{"taxonomy":"translator","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftranslator&post=79840"},{"taxonomy":"illustrator","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fillustrator&post=79840"},{"taxonomy":"photographer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fphotographer&post=79840"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}