Dating violence: Impact of academic, affective and sociodemographic variables

Abstract

Violence in dating is a serious problem, due to its physical and mental consequences, its impact on the patterns of future love relationships and as a public health problem. The objectives are to identify the sociodemographic, academic and affective variables that influence dating violence. This is a quantitative, descriptive-correlational and cross-sectional study, with a sample of 429 students, with an average age of 22.11 years (SD = 4.55). For data collection, a questionnaire was used that allowed the sociodemographic, academic and affective characterization to be carried out. The Scale of victimization practices and behaviors was also included in the dating relationship of Dixe, Rodrigues, Freire, Rodrigues, Fernandes and Dias (2010). In terms of results, it was found that 11.9% are victims of violence in the current dating relationship. Male students, from the humanities course and those who have already failed, show more frequent victimization practices and behaviors, with statistically significant differences (p <0.05). Those who report smoking habits reveal more frequent victimization practices and behaviors (p <0.05). Students who have already started sexual life, who admit to being a victim of violence in the current dating relationship, those who have been victims of violence in previous dating relationships, those who do not have a good family relationship and do not have a good relationship friends, manifest more frequent victimization practices and behaviors (p <0.05). We recommend implementing in schools, actions to raise awareness of behaviors and practices of violence in dating, involving in this scope the whole community (students, family and academy). Victim support offices, in the context of academia, should also be designed and structured with psychological and social support.