Study: What young people say about gender-based violence and what they consider “normal”

A nationwide survey of high school teenagers to find out what they consider “normal and abnormal” in relationships between the two sexes was conducted by the company DEI in collaboration with research company Focus Bari.

The study was conducted on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, November 25, and is an attempt to find out degree of acceptance of stereotypical roles and ideasthat are associated with gender-based violence and justify abusive behavior in the context of couple relationships. As the research data shows:

• 5 in 10 female high school students and 4 in 10 male high school students say that “some men become violent towards women because they provoke them.” This is a misconception.
• 9 out of 10 male high school students and 10 out of 10 high school students say, “A guy would never force a woman to have sex with him if she flirted with him all night.”
• 6 out of 10 female high school students and 5 out of 10 male high school students are strongly do not agree with the statement that “sometimes women are to blame when their partners hit them.” The rest agree.
• 2 in 10 male high school students and 1 in 4 female high school students strongly disagree with “women calling behavior ‘sexual harassment’ when in fact it’s just a joke.”
• 55% of male high school students say that “sometimes for a guy it is permissible to set restrictions the way his partner dresses.”
• Only 4 out of 10 male high school students and only 6 out of 10 female high school students strongly disagree with the statement: “When a woman says no to her partner’s sexual intentions, it often means a veiled yes.”

In parallel with the research, the authorities are implementing information campaign to raise public awareness to combat stereotypes and violence against women. Sofia Dimtsa, Director of Corporate Affairs, says: “Eliminating the stereotypes that lead to offensive behavior requires all of us to address and challenge this unacceptable phenomenon.

The initiative (social advertising) follows precisely this logic and for the third year in a row highlights the attitude and perception of the Greek society on a global issue that often remains invisible. By shining a light on the source of the problem, we can deal with it earlier, before it gets worse.

This year’s action is aimed at the future and at young people who, through continuous information, will be able to better understand and reverse “perpetuated” stereotyping, and prevent their partners from engaging in abusive behavior towards them.”

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