Between Masculinities and Accountability

Public Policies for Men Who Perpetrate Violence

Abstract

This article analyzes the effectiveness of public policies aimed at men who perpetrate domestic violence in Brazil, adopting a critical approach that articulates gender, masculinities, and accountability. Based on the assumption that strategies focused exclusively on victims, although essential, have not been sufficient to halt the persistence of gender-based violence, the study proposes an analytical shift toward the perpetrator as a central subject of prevention policies. Methodologically, the research combines a bibliographic anddocumentary review of the national legal framework—emphasizing the Maria da Penha Law and the institutional guidelines of the National Council of Justice—with an empirical analysis of the Federal District case, drawing on previous studies containing information about the local context. The discussion of the region was developed through an analysis of the available literature, adopting a narrative review approach, which included semi-structured interviews with professionals working in the Acolher/DF Program, documentation related to the program’s structure, and a critical dissertation on the topic. This approach made it possible to contrast theoretical and normative guidelines with the operational reality of the service. The results indicate that, although there is methodological coherence between the adopted practices and contemporary theoretical frameworks on masculinities, significant structural challenges remain, such as institutional limitations, weak intersectoral coordination, and the absence of systematic mechanisms for evaluating the effectiveness of interventions. The study concludes that public policies aimed at men who perpetrate violence represent a strategic field for addressing gender-based violence, provided they are understood as policies of accountability and transformation of masculinities, articulated with the comprehensive protection of women.