Violence in intimate relationships from the point of view of adolescents: perspectives of the Complexity Paradigm,

Abstract

Objective: To analyze adolescents’ perceptions about intimate violence from the perspective of the Complexity Paradigm. Method: A qualitative approach configured as strategic social study. The study participants were adolescents between 15 and 18 years old, attending high school in two public schools in a city in the interior of São Paulo State, Brazil. Data collection was performed through a focus group and a semi-structured interview as a complement. Data analysis was based on the dialogical, organizational and holographic principles of the Complex Paradigm. Results: The study included 39 adolescents (14 males and 25 females). Through the emerging categories, it was noticed that intimate violence occurs through dialogical affection-jealousy/control by a naturalization of violent acts which permeates gender, cultural and social issues, and by technology as preponderant for intimate violence among adolescents, denoting new forms of control and coercion. Conclusion: The study introduces aspects present in intimate violence among adolescents, presenting them in an articulate and interdependent way. These aspects constitute a relevant contribution to the actions of health professionals.

Prevalence and factors associated with dating violence among public school adolescents

“…Most adolescents who did not physically abuse their boyfriends/girlfriends had already ended the relationship, while the perpetrators remained in the relationship. Qualitative research carried out with adolescents of both genders, in the interior of São Paulo, revealed that the duration of the relationship was configured as a motivating element in dating violence, according to the participants' conception (20) .…”

“…In a way that most adolescents involved in the condition of victims of sexual assault or perpetrators of physical abuse considered that conflicts occurred few times in their relationships. Due to daily contact with situations of violence in society, adolescents may consider abusive behaviors in their relationships as acts of love, reaffirming the crystallization and invisibility of the dyad affect-aggression of the problem (20) .…”

Prevalência e fatores associados à violência no namoro entre adolescentes de escola pública

“…A maioria dos adolescentes que não cometeram abusos físicos contra seus(suas) namorados(as) já havia terminado o relacionamento, enquanto que os perpetradores permaneciam no relacionamento. Pesquisa qualitativa realizada com adolescentes de ambos os sexos, no interior de São Paulo, revelou que o tempo de relacionamento se configurou um elemento motivador da violência no namoro, na concepção dos participantes (20) .…”

“…De maneira que a maioria dos adolescentes envolvidos na condição de vítimas de agressões sexuais ou de perpetradores de abusos físicos considerou que os conflitos ocorreram poucas vezes nos seus relacionamentos. Devido ao convívio no cotidiano com situações de violência na sociedade, os adolescentes podem considerar comportamentos abusivos em seus relacionamentos como atos de amor, reafirmando a cristalização e invisibilização da díade afeto-agressão da problemática (20) .…”

Dating violence among adolescents from a region of high social vulnerability

“…The expectations of the roles of being a man and being a woman in the Brazilian society, present at the social level but with direct consequences for the others, are reinforced by the adolescents. Traditional gender norms endorse beliefs that men must be in a dominant social position that gives them privileges and power over women ( 24 ) .…”