VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ANALYTICAL PSYCHOLOGY: A CASE STUDY THROUGH THE ANALYSIS OF THE HEROINE'S JOURNEY

Abstract

This article proposes an analysis based on the perspective of Carl Gustav Jung’s analytical psychology, focusing on the Anima archetype in a woman whose internalized patriarchal values ​​resulted in profound psychological suffering. By investigating the impact of domestic violence and intrafamilial abuse, the study examines how these elements interfere with the formation of the feminine and the construction of identity. It begins by presenting key Jungian concepts—including the unconscious, the shadow, complexes, archetypes, and the process of individuation—and linking them to a critique of patriarchal structures and the legal aspects of the Maria da Penha Law. The study is grounded in a clinical case involving five months of Jungian psychotherapy, during which the patient experiences not only spousal violence but also the trauma resulting from the sexual abuse of her daughter; this reveals deep-seated conflicts regarding the feminine, motherhood, and identity. The analysis is enriched by applying the Heroine’s Journey, which offers a symbolic path toward reclaiming the feminine and emotional autonomy, as well as reconstructing the self. Finally, the article explores the influence of archetypal goddesses on the woman’s psychic dynamics, providing a symbolic and integrative understanding of her process of suffering, coping, and inner transformation.