Control Violence Begins in Adolescent Dating: A Research from Students' Perception

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jul 23;19(15):8974. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19158974.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze the prevalence of controlling violence experienced by adolescents in the Region of Murcia, as well as to analyze the patterns and sociodemographic variables involved such as sex, age, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, and country of origin of the families with the consequent cultural background provided. Using a sample of 454 secondary and high school students who completed a survey, the results revealed that 29.96% of the respondents were perpetrators (exerted violence) and 35.68% were victims of at least one dating abuse behavior. Significant differences were found in the occurrence of abuse based on family background, age, and religion. Finally, the results revealed that there were no significant differences in the victimization or perpetration of violence in relation to sex, but the older the victim, the less control exercised in cybernetic media, and the greater the control of the other in relation to family origin, where those from Latin American and African countries showed a greater propensity to control their partners than those of Spanish origin.

Keywords: bullying; control; mistreatment; online abuse; teenagers; violence.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Behavior*
  • Bullying*
  • Crime Victims*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intimate Partner Violence*
  • Male
  • Perception
  • Students
  • Violence

Grants and funding

This study is part of a large research project, “Teen Dating Violence: Cross-cultural research for prevention and intervention in socio-educational contexts” (RTI2018-101668-B-I00), funded by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación del Gobierno de España (Ministry of Science and Innovation of the Government of Spain).