Cases of gender violence in adolescents increase by 87.2%, according to a study by the ANAR Foundation

The victims are young people, on average 16 years old, and 70.3% of them do not report nor have any intention of doing so.

Cases of gender violence in adolescents have increased by 87.2%, according to the ANAR Foundation study 'Evolution of Violence Against Women in Childhood and Adolescence in Spain (2018-2022)'.

This type of violence, as they indicated this Tuesday in the presentation of the report, is the one that has increased the most, along with gender violence in the home or environment, especially in the post-pandemic period. Specifically, they have stated that they treated a total of 11,031 children and adolescents for both types.

The study, as reported by the technical director and spokesperson for ANAR, Benjamín Ballesteros, is based on a total of 20,515 cases of minors, boys, girls and adolescents whom ANAR has helped between 2018 and 2022. "The objective is "to know the evolution and also highlight the changes and trends that we have detected throughout those four years. It has focused on the concept of violence against women, which is defined by the State agreement," he indicated.

Regarding the approach, Ballesteros has indicated that they have used the intersectional approach in which the axes of inequality, gender, age, disability, origin, migration, etc. have also been studied. Likewise, he explained that they have analyzed the biological, political, economic, social and cultural part "in order to obtain the results."

Likewise, he pointed out that ANAR has analyzed four types of violence. On the one hand, gender violence, which represents 53.8% of all cases in the total universe. On the other hand, there would be sexual violence, with 11.7% of the total cases. In third place, domestic violence, with 18.6% and, finally, other forms of violence such as bullying, physical attacks, cyberbullying, psychological aggression, etc., which account for 15.9%. .

ANAR has also added that in 100% of the cases of those treated for gender violence in adolescents, they are women with an average age of 16, that 46.1% are in Secondary Education and 31.4% are in High School. Furthermore, they have highlighted that almost half of them (49.8%) are young people with low academic performance and who live with their family (95.2%), either with both parents (56.4%) or with their mother only. (28%) or with the mother and another family member (6.2%). Likewise, they have emphasized that more than half are Spanish (68.8%).

However, in cases of gender violence in the environment, 56.6% are women, while 43.4% are men, with an average age of ten years. In this situation, 37.9% are studying Secondary Education and 34.2% Primary Education and, likewise, in 50% of the cases their academic performance is low. On the contrary, they live mostly in single-parent families (68.2%), with the mother 46.7% and with the mother and another family member 13.2%. 50.8% are Spanish.

Likewise, the study highlights that 70.3% of victims of adolescent gender violence do not report nor have the intention to do so, compared to 39.3% of victims of gender violence in the environment.

PROFILE OF THE AGGRESSOR

On the other hand, regarding the profile of the aggressor, in 57% of the cases of those treated for adolescent gender violence it is the boyfriend, who is in the main age group between 14 and 17 years (63.7%). , although three out of ten are of legal age (32.6%).

In the same way, the director of the ANAR Help Lines, Diana Díaz, for her part, has stated that, according to the results obtained by the study, the aggressor "has a position of power with respect to his partner" and that This establishes a relationship of "emotional dependency." Furthermore, she has stated that, at the beginning of the relationship, the aggressor makes comments and requests behavioral changes from the victim, "gently, to exercise control over her behavior."

Regarding gender violence in the environment, however, Díaz has indicated that it is the father (88.9%) and that it is mostly an adult (86.1%). Likewise, he has stated that they have observed that, on occasions, he physically or psychologically attacks the children, as well as the mother. In others, minors are involved in violence against their parents.

SEXUAL VIOLENCE INCREASES BY 39.4%

The study also includes other forms of violence, such as sexual, domestic or bullying. In these cases, Díaz has indicated that 9,484 female victims have been treated in these categories. Likewise, she has stressed that after gender violence, the violence that has increased the most has been sexual violence, which has increased by 39.4%.

Regarding the sociodemographic profile of these other forms of violence, Díaz explained that 100% are women, with an average age of 12. Furthermore, 13.9% of the girls served have disabilities (67.8% intellectual) and are victims of bullying. 46.1% are in Secondary Education, 31.4% are in High School, more than 70% have low academic performance and 98.9% live with their parents.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Against this backdrop, ANAR Foundation proposes incorporating into the legal system the broad concept of gender violence contained in the Istanbul Convention, as well as creating a global framework of policies, programs and measures aimed at "preventing, detecting and combating all forms of violence." that occur against adolescent girls and women.

Likewise, prevention is considered "key" and they remember the free ANAR telephone number to help all minors, while emphasizing the importance of sensitization and awareness campaigns and early care, from education and the family.

ANAR Foundation also proposes intervention with underage male aggressors, "so that they can redirect their way of relating to the female gender"; guidance and support for families; implement and make effective the regulatory framework regarding access and use by minors of the Internet and digital media; specialized care and immediate legal assistance.

As a result of this study, a campaign was born to deliver material to schools. "Our objective is to support teachers in the prevention of violence against women. At ANAR we want no victim to be left without receiving help and we want to educate on equal opportunities between men and women," added the director of the Education department. from the ANAR Foundation, Graciela Sánchez.