[A participatory model for addressing violence against women in La Araucanía, Chile].

Violence against women is considered a public health problem that affects women worldwide. Recently, the Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization declared its serious socioeconomic impact in the Region of the Americas and committed to undertaking actions in the health services to address this problem. Within that framework, this paper describes the steps of a participatory action research (PAR) approach that is being implemented in the Wenteche Territory of the La Araucanía region of Chile, which aims to strengthen community bonds, rekindle opportunities for dialogue with and among the people of the territory, foster social participation and democracy in the generation of pertinent, participatory knowledge regarding this problem, and obtain information to support design of an intervention model adapted to local characteristics.