"It is less expensive to have women's police stations than to set up shelters."

this seems like a pretty good idea to me. why don't we have this system? separate police stations for women, for black people, for the elderly. is it segregation or is it a leveller?

here're some random quotes from the article:

"The idea of creating a separate sector for gender-related crimes arose in Brazil at the start of the 1980s. With the United Nations Decade for Women (1976-85) coming to a close and the country's dictatorship loosening its grip on power, female activists were pushing for more recognition from authorities. Special police stations had been set up for Afro-Brazilians and the elderly, and women wanted similar treatment."

"In the first year of operations, the number of charges filed by officers in women's stations was more than double the number of charges for similar crimes against women filed by the predominantly male officers in regular precincts."

"The women who report their abusers do so primarily because they want to show they are not powerless, Salgado says. "What they are looking for is not to criminalize the behavior of the abuser. They go to stop the violence.... It's a way of renegotiating the relationship, a means of mediation.""

""Convincing men that violence against women is unacceptable is one of the main obstacles facing female officers. The number of accusations heard at women's police stations grows every year, Salgado says, and she expects it will continue to rise as long as men believe violence against women is a viable option.
In an attempt to change that belief, officials offer accused men the option of counseling. After hearing his side of the story, the delegada usually asks him to take part in group therapy sessions. However, unless a judge includes therapy as part of a sentence, officers cannot force it, and only 20 percent to 30 percent of men actually take up the offer, says Joceleide de Souza, the delegada at the 8th Women's Police Station.""

"Nevertheless, all those involved say that while the problem of violence against women still persists, the creation of the women's stations has made men more accountable.
"The impact has been really impressive," Santos says. "What women's police stations are doing is making violence more visible in society. They are creating a crime where one never existed before.""