Violence against women is a complex and highly prevalent phenomenon that is considered a public health problem. The affected women generally search for healthcare services in order to treat associated symptoms. This qualitative study aimed to verify the perception of doctors working at primary healthcare units of Ribeirao Preto, state of Sao Paulo, on violence against women perpetrated by intimate partners. Data were collected through interviews with 14 gynecologists and general practitioners. The use of content analysis allowed us to define the following themes: knowledge of the types and severity of violence, perception regarding who the affected woman is, medical practice in the violence situation, intervention possibilities and barriers to access the services. As the medical doctors feel unprepared to approach the subject, they handle it with gender and social class prejudices, transferring the responsibility for occasional failures to "others", such as the services, the network and the women.