Tolerance and Perception of Abuse in Youth Dating Relationships

ABSTRACT

A cross-sectional study of pre-university and university students of both genders was carried out in Spain (N = 4,919) to determine the levels of tolerance of partner violence per gender and the perception of abuse. Of the students, 26.3% were in a situation of unperceived abuse, especially the males (29.6%), but the level of tolerance of abusive behavior was significantly lower in females. The group of youths who did not perceive themselves as abused had higher levels of tolerance. In contrast, non-abused students presented low tolerance of violent behavior. Tolerance of dating violence is more strongly determined by gender than by the perception of abuse in young people.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescent
• dating violence
• gender
• intimate partner violence
• tolerance

Funding

The study was supported by grants from the “Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad” of Spain (Project SUBINMU012/009) and from the “Universidad de Oviedo/Consejería de Educación, Cultura y Deporte del Principado de Asturias” (Project UO-15-INVES-32).

Additional information

Funding

The study was supported by grants from the “Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad” of Spain (Project SUBINMU012/009) and from the “Universidad de Oviedo/Consejería de Educación, Cultura y Deporte del Principado de Asturias” (Project UO-15-INVES-32).