Abstract
ABSTRACT Objective: to investigate the knowledge and attitude of school adolescents regarding sexual violence. Method: a qualitative study with data gathering, based on Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s Phenomenology of Perception, conducted in April 2018 with 12 adolescents from a state school in Recife, using the focus group technique. For data systematization, thematic content analysis was used in the following steps: pre-analysis, material exploration, treatment of results and interpretation. Results: three thematic categories were established: adolescents’ perceptions of sexual violence; reflective construction of adolescents on the factors of exposure to sexual violence; and facilitating aspects for the prevention of adolescent sexual violence. Conclusion: the perception of adolescents regarding sexual violence is influenced by cultural, structural, social, economic, psychological and biological aspects, which should be considered in the planning of actions aimed at preventing sexual violence for this public.
Highlights
Sexual violence is understood as an act or attempt of a sexual act, as well as undesirable sexual comments against a person’s sexuality through coercion
The discourses on knowledge associated with sexual violence are related to rape, verbal violence, female fragility and gender domination: Sexual violence to me is rape (A3 Male). [...] There is the verbal question, “right”? Which is when you’re on the street and the guy talks things to you, I think that’s pretty embarrassing
There are a lot of advertisements on television on how to prevent and report sexual violence, the media is very involved in it! (A8 Male). [...] We are saying this because we are aware, we have information, but who doesn’t? (A9 Female). In discussing what they recognize as sexual violence, adolescents of both sexes highlighted a greater vulnerability for women, who face a historical cultural process of social imposition of power and male domination
Summary
Sexual violence is understood as an act or attempt of a sexual act, as well as undesirable sexual comments against a person’s sexuality through coercion. In Brazil, the highest prevalence of sexual violence occurs against adolescents aged 10 to 14 years (66%) and predominantly female (91%).[2] Factors associated with this violence are the victim’s low educational level, lack of professional training, having one or more intimate partners, drinking alcohol and witnessing alcoholism. The negative impact of sexual violence is reflected in immediate and long-term harm, as it is a traumatic event with potentially devastating effects on the physical, mental, emotional and social well-being of adolescents It exposes this public to the risk of unplanned pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and the human immunodeficiency virus (STI).[4]
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