Purpose: to evaluate, in a Brazilian population, the possible association between history of sexual violence and some of the more frequent gynecologic complaints related by women. Methods: secondary analysis of data from a cross-sectional study in which 1838 women between 15 and 49 years of age were interviewed in their homes. They were residents of the cities of Campinas and Sumaré, in the state of São Paulo. A structured and pretested questionnaire was used, which allowed to characterize the interviewees' history of sexual violence, the existence of sexual dysfunctions and the presence of gynecologic symptoms in the year previous to the interview. The statistical differences were evaluated by the chi² test. Results: little more than one third (38.1%) of the women did not report history of sexual violence; 54.8% related that at least once they had had sexual intercourse against their will, without being forced to, although 23% mentioned some kind of coercion; 7.1% reported having been forced to have sex. Statistical association was found between history of sexual violence and the reference to gynecologic complaints and sexual dysfunctions. Conclusions: it was observed that even less aggressive forms of imposition of the man's will in the couple's sexual life were associated with a higher prevalence of the most frequent gynecologic complaints. The gynecologist must, therefore, have in mind this etiological factor which is rarely being considered at the present time.
Sexual violence; Gynecologic symptoms; Sexual dysfunction
