Sexist violence in young couples: data and analysis

When you talk about sexist violence, we get to the idea that this type of violence exists, but that it only affects a sector of the population.

What exactly is sexist violence?

The existing myths in this regard make us imagine that this type of violence occurs sporadically, isolated events in time, and in many cases motivated because the woman shows provocative behavior that the man must control, or in other cases In some cases, the myth victimizes women even more, stating that “women who put up with being beaten for so long is because they want ”.

But, above all, one of the most established myths is that of think that sexist violence exists only in socially disadvantaged sectors and in families with limited economic resources.

• It may interest you: "The cycle of violence in intimate relationships"

Sexist violence in adolescents

What if we discovered that this is not the reality when we talk about sexist violence?

Current studies show us that the sector of the population most affected by sexist violence is adolescents

. According to the 2015 Spanish macro-survey of violence against women, 21% of women under the age of 25 who have had a partner have been victims of gender violence. Likewise, a study carried out by González and Santana in 2001, reports that 7.5 of the boys and the 7.1 of the girls admit that they have hit or pushed their partner on one or more occasions (Samaniego and Freixas, 2010). These figures are alarming and make us wonder why this violence is due and what factors can be considered risky when it comes to suffering it.

The truth is that traditional ideals regarding gender still persist in our society. Boys are endowed with a certain superiority, and it is taken for granted that they are born leaders, strong and without weaknesses, on the other hand, the girls should be desirably docile, submissive and easily manipulable. These gender stereotypes They are the ones that are at the base of this type of violence, according to studies, despite the fact that we take it for granted that they already belong to the past.

Risk factor's

The risk factors associated with the aggressor in the phenomenon of “dating violence”, the name that this phenomenon acquires, refer to the modeling processes adopted in childhood, such as the case of minors exposed to violence within the family environment, who will be more likely to reproduce such behaviors in their relationships, or those who are less are immersed in a context in which violence is the main tool to resolve conflicts interpersonal.

Prince and Arias also point to two contrasting personality profiles, on the one hand, the adolescent with high self-esteem and low sense of control over his life, who uses violence to feel that his control is increasing and, on the other hand side, that adolescent with low self-esteem and under control who is violent as a way of expressing his frustration (González and Santana, 2010).

Risk factors for victims

For its part, the risk factors considered by the authors in relation to suffering such violence are feelings of hopelessness and low self-esteem, an early start in sex, risky sex, the need for control, and the idea of ​​romantic love.

The ballast that generates a certain conception about love

The idea of ​​romantic love, "love that can do everything," is instilled in girls almost from birth, with the idea that they need to have a partner to truly feel fulfilled. A study by Barrón and Martínez-Iñigo in 1999 already pointed to the differences in socialization between boys and girlss. They are taught to tolerate adversities that affect their relationships, to minimize problems, to bear them and believe that they are capable of changing their partners, something that does not happen in the case of boys, who are taught to be independent.

The main problem that exists in violence in adolescent couples lies in the fact that the aggressions take place at a very young age. In many cases, This violence is triggered from the first couple relationship, which means that the victim does not have the experience and information to adequately assess the situation they are experiencing and, therefore, cannot realize what is happening and what its consequences will be (González and Santana, 2010).

In addition, as with sexist violence, abuse can range from verbal and emotional abuse to sexual assault and even murder, so we are faced with a phenomenon that considerably affects the physical and mental health of those who Anyone can be a victim, regardless of age, sexual orientation or status socioeconomic.

• Know more: "The 30 signs of psychological abuse in a relationship"

Bibliographic references:

• Baquero, J. M. (2015). Macho Teens: The Crude Heritage of Patriarchy. Eldiario.es. http://www.eldiario.es/andalucia/Adolescentes-machistas-cruda-herencia-patriarcado_0_449355873.html
• Carballar, O. (2016). Sexist violence in adolescents: “if he said he didn't feel like it, he would hit me”. Lamarea.comhttp://www.lamarea.com/2016/02/12/violencia-machista-adolescentes/
• González Méndez, R., Santana Hernández, J. D. (2001). Violence in young couples. Psychothem, vol. 13, n. 1, p. 127-131.
• Samaniego García, E., Freixas Farré, A. (2010). Study on the identification and experience of violence in adolescent couples. Psychology Notes Vol. 28, n. 3, p. 349-366.