AFFECTIONATE (EMOTIONAL) AND SOCIAL DIFICULTIES EXPERIENCED BY WOMEN WHOSE HUSBANDS LIVE ABROAD AS EMIGRANTS

Abstract

Internationally, Governador Valadares is known as exporter of manual labor abroad. Many citizens leave their wives and children, taking on a commitment to accumulate resources and then taking them home. Some eventually consider this as additional expenses to be avoided. They understand that by saving they will be able to increase their capital quickly, return to Brazil and then enjoy a comfortable life. Their wives cannot count on their partners any more to solve their daily problems together, and to attend to their sexual necessities. The reality lived by such women, provokes the formulation of the question: What are the affectionate (emotional) and social difficilties lived by a woman whouse husband lives abroad as an emigrant? To answer this question bibliographical research and a case study were carried out, in which 62 emigrants' wives were interviewed. The results point to the importance of sexual practice as a factor in mental balance of individuals and to the maintenance of the conjugal relationship.