Vulnerabilidade e memória: narrativas orais de mulheres egressas do sistema penitenciário

Resumo (EN)

This research examines social memory and life-story narratives of women formerly incarcerated in the city of São Paulo who are supported by the Instituto Passarela Alternativa (IPA), based on an interdisciplinary approach that brings together the fields of Communication, social memory, vulnerability, and human rights. The study is grounded in the assumption that memory is constituted in a relational and dialogical manner, and that life narratives represent fundamental practices of meaning-making, especially in contexts marked by silencing, stigmatization, and social exclusion. The objective of the study is to understand how the memories and narratives of these women contribute to the reconstruction of identities and to the development of life projects in the post-prison context, as well as to analyze the role of institutional support in the process of social reintegration. Methodologically, the research combines a literature review, analysis of official data on female incarceration in Brazil, and in-depth interviews conducted with four women formerly incarcerated in the penitentiary system who were supported by programs of the Instituto Passarela Alternativa, between May 22 and 23, 2025, in accordance with ethical principles for research involving human subjects. The results indicate that the trajectories of these women are shaped by multiple vulnerabilities — socioeconomic, racial, civil, and gender-based — which precede incarceration and are intensified after release from prison. The narratives reveal that incarceration produces lasting physical and symbolic marks, hindering social reintegration and affecting the construction of future life projects. It is concluded that memory, understood as a communicative and cultural practice, constitutes a political instrument for the affirmation of dignity and the struggle for human rights. By making visible voices that have historically been rendered invisible, the study contributes to the field of Communication and to the public debate on female incarceration, vulnerability, and social justice, reaffirming the centrality of listening and narratives in the construction of practices and policies committed to social transformation.