WhatsApp e o contexto discursivo como prova de violência contra a mulher

Abstract

In Brazil, the ‘Maria da Penha’ law (Law 11.340, of August 7, 2006) is concerned with the crime of feminicide and it creates mechanisms to protect women who are victims of psychological and/or physical violence. Despite this law, the number of femicides increases daily. In 2015, the Map of Violence estimated the number of femicides at 4.8% per 100,000 women – one murder every 90 minutes and 5 beatings every 2 minutes – which placed Brazil in fifth place. The document showed that we had with the rise of the extreme right spreading patriarchal and sexist propaganda, a 30% increase in acts of violence against women is expected. However, states of violence and psychological violence caused by abusive relationships are not counted in these data. Within social media, there are countless semioses that denounce violence and abuse, which could be used as evidence incourt, and even to prevent deaths. This article analyzes discursive stylistic marks present in WhatsApp messages exchanged between a victim of femicide and herbest female friend – that indicate a state of violence, possible physical and psychological violence – in a case which had wide national repercussion. We use Discourse Analysis applied in a forensic linguistics context to discuss the crime of homicide, using as theoretical support van Dijk (2012), Charaudeau (2001), Cano(2012), and Sousa Silva and Coulthard (2016). The analysis raises interesting linguistic issues such as the concepts of “context” that evidence constant situationsof state of violence within the interaction process.