Violência contra mulher é da nossa conta: possibilidades de atuação no sistema de controle externo brasileiro

The article discusses the issue of violence against women in Brazil and the importance of external control bodies in addressing the problem. To deal with the topic, the text is organized into five parts. It begins with an initial overview of the issue. Then, alarming statistical data on violence against women is presented, highlighting the increase in reports in recent years. The third part presents the evolution of protective legislation for women’s rights. The fourth part of the work exposes the performance of external control bodies on violence against women, both at the federal level and at the state level. In this case, the representation filed by the Public Ministry of Accounts of Santa Catarina before the Court of Accounts of the State of Santa Catarina (REP n. 4/2019) is examined. In 2021, the court completed a detailed operational audit that evaluated public policies and existing structures in the State related to assistance to women victims of violence. The last part concludes that the action of external control bodies is essential to assist in the evaluation of the problem so that public managers can identify priorities and implement more effective prevention, combat, and assistance actions.