Dating violence victimization among sexual and gender diverse adolescents in Brazil

Dating Violence is a worldwide social issue that affects an important proportion of adolescents. This study aimed to (1) explore how social categories (race, family income, gender and sexual orientation), type of school (private or public), attitudes towards gender and violence, and ambivalent sexism beliefs relate to dating victimization (verbal, physical, psychological, sexual and stalking) experiences among Brazilian adolescents and (2) investigate predictors of dating victimization. The sample consisted of 350 adolescents between 16 and 19 years old. Most participants were cisgender and either heterosexual or bisexual. Network analysis, weighted logistic regression analysis and robust ANOVAs were performed. Gender, sexual orientation, family income and witnessing family fights were predictors of victimization in the present sample. Bisexuals, cis girls, non-cis people, low family income adolescents and adolescents who have been exposed to family fights presented increased risk of victimization. Race was not a statistically significant predictor for victimization. Also, there were no significant differences between the victimized and the non victimized group regarding attitudes towards gender and the levels of hostile and benevolent sexism. This reflects the multifactorial aspect of the phenomenon and that an intersectional analysis tool is useful to understand the aspects that contribute to the maintenance of dating violence. In terms of implications of this study, we highlight that it is essential to consider different social categories not only to better understand the dynamics, but to subsidize effective prevention programs, thus contributing to the construction of safer spaces for adolescents and reducing violence perpetration and victimization.