Gender violence in adolescents: how to detect it in time?

Gender violence is that which affects women for the mere fact of being so, violating their integrity, dignity and freedom.. In countries like Spain, violence of this type is recognized by law as a crime, although this has not always been the case. Just a few years ago, gender violence did not even have a proper name because it was not considered a social problem. This was treated as a matter belonging to the privacy of the family, so that no one could intervene to reverse the situation.

Over time, the seriousness of the issue and the need for the government and society as a whole to get involved to eradicate it began to be understood. Thanks to the advances achieved in recent years, women are no longer unprotected as before, although much remains to be done. Proof of this is that there are still many women who suffer this type of violence. This also includes minors, who during their adolescence begin to establish their first sexual-affective relationships.

Gender violence is not always easy to detect, as it can manifest itself in many different ways beyond beatings. At times, it can lead to controlling behaviors, social isolation, manipulation, or jealousy. All this is usually justified and normalized in the name of love, although love has little to do with all these behaviors.

Adolescence is a critical moment, since it is at this stage when young people begin their first love relationships.. Preventing and early detection of gender violence at these ages is key to stopping its progress and its terrible consequences. In this article we will talk about gender violence in adolescence and how to detect it.

• We recommend you read: "Aesthetic violence: what it is and how it affects self-esteem and society"

Why does gender violence appear in adolescents?

Gender violence can be defined as a type of violence directed at women for the mere fact of being so. This is the most obvious manifestation of inequality between the sexes, and it can take all sorts of forms. Physical violence is that which manifests itself in the form of aggressions such as hitting, shoving, scratches... This violence can escalate in intensity until it puts the life of the person at risk. victim.

Psychological violence usually manifests itself in the form of insults and hurtful words that deeply damage the victim. Threats and humiliation may appear even in front of third parties. Economic violence is one in which the aggressor deprives the victim of her economic resources. This translates into a reduction in her physical and emotional well-being, as well as that of the children in common (if any). Sexual violence is characterized by the use of force by the aggressor in order to force the victim to have sex. Sometimes his tactics can be more subtle, such that he intimidates, blackmails, and pressures the woman to have a sexual encounter.

It may be incomprehensible that, to this day, adolescents continue to show violent patterns in their relationships. In this sense, it seems obvious that the old patriarchal schemes typical of previous generations are preserved. The new generations learn by reference to their parents. If adults do not provide an education based on equality, it is to be expected that upon reaching this stage of life their children will begin to establish relationships with dynamics based on inequality.

Usually, gender violence in adolescence begins from behaviors associated with control. New technologies have favored this type of behavior, so that the aggressor can request the keys to your partner, review her conversations or demand that she answer you immediately and indicate her location. Jealousy and progressive isolation from friends and family are another frequent example of behaviors linked to intimate partner violence.

As we have been commenting, sexist education is the most important predisposing factor. Gender stereotypes do not help foster healthy relationships among adolescents. Thus, strength and leadership are expected from boys, while beauty, tenderness and docility are expected from girls.

In the first moments, when the initial signs of gender violence begin to appear, it is key that the victim's environment knows how to act promptly. It is crucial that family and friends are understanding, without blaming or judging the person for what is happening. This will prevent her bond with her from cooling off and causing a distancing, which in turn will foster greater dependency on the aggressor.

In the same way, it is essential to psychoeducate the population as a whole, since there is often a very distorted vision of gender violence. Beyond the obvious physical aggression, there are many other ways in which a person can hurt their partner. Knowing how to detect warning signs can make a difference and favor the victim's exit from that violent relationship.

Warning signs that indicate that an adolescent suffers gender violence

Next, we will discuss some important warning signs that can help detect gender-based violence in adolescence.

• Social isolation: The teenager can put aside her social relationships, avoid meeting her friends and even be cold with her classmates.

• hermetism: The adolescent may be reluctant to talk about how she is feeling. She seems more secretive than ever, even if she used to tend to express her feelings easily.

• Low self-esteem: The adolescent does not perceive herself as someone valuable and worthy of love and attention. She feels inferior and does not have confidence in her abilities.

• no limits: The girl fails to set limits in the relationship, which prevents her from being able to say NO. She acts totally accommodating with her partner, to the point of prioritizing her needs and forgetting her own.

• Forced exaltation of positive aspects: In relationships with gender violence, it is common for periods of calm to alternate with others of great conflict. The offender can show two opposite faces to each other, which leads to a lot of confusion. The girl can hold on to those pleasant moments, even if they are less and less frequent. She extols them while she downplays inappropriate behavior.

• Doubts about the relationship: The girl may have an ambivalent attitude towards her relationship. On the one hand, she feels that she cannot live without that person. On the other, she is tired and sad because this relationship hurts her.

• decline in school performance: The concerns derived from living in a relationship of gender violence can make it difficult to concentrate on other tasks, such as studies.

• Sleep and appetite disturbances: Suffering partner violence is a highly stressful situation, which can disrupt basic physiological functions such as hunger and sleep. Insomnia problems and notorious changes in appetite may appear, which in the most serious cases can lead to an eating disorder.

• Irritability: The victim tends to be irritable with the rest of the people around her (family, friends, teachers...), who at the same time try to convince her of how inconvenient her relationship is. The insistence that she leave the relationship only contributes to placing more pressure on her, favoring distance and dependence on the aggressor.

conclusions

In this article we have talked about gender violence in adolescents and how to detect it. The truth is that this form of violence is no longer considered a private matter to be recognized as a social problem. Although progress has been made in recent years to combat it, the reality is that there are still many women who suffer from it in our country. This also includes minors, who begin to form their first sexual-affective relationships in adolescence.

It seems that there is still a long way to go in terms of prevention and early detection of violence against women. gender, since the new generations continue to perpetuate many schemes typical of the patriarchal culture more traditional. For example, certain gender stereotypes that establish specific expectations about how boys and girls should behave are still inherited. Equality education is one of the keys to prevent violent relationships. However, once dynamics of this type have already appeared, it is important to detect them promptly, paying attention to certain alarm signals.