Perception of violence and sexism in university students1 Dra. Roxana Yolanda Castillo Acobo, docente e investigadora principal de la Escuela de Trabajo Social de la Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa (Unsa). Directora del Observatorio de G

Abstract

The study delves about the couple’s relationships of university students, since many times students who do not participate regularly in their academic formation point out they feel affected by affective relationships that cause them lack of motivation, depression, changes in their eating habits, altered emotional states and emotional dependence. The objective is to analyze the perceptions of students about violence and sexism from a gender perspective, which creates attachment or subordination in the couple’s relationships. Participants included 250 students, 15 men y 110 women, chosen at random from the 47 professional schools in biomedical, engineering and social areas; the standardized scale on Affectivity and Sexism of the Instituto Andaluz de la Mujer (Andalusian Institute for Woman (2001)) was applied. The scale results indicate that the students “agree and have” information about inequalities between men and women, and that gender violence affects women. They typify men as aggressive, more violent. They recognize that women, by remaining silent and enduring situations of violence, are exposed to gender violence, sexual harassment or others. However, since the codes of comparison are very subtle, they create perceptions that clearly typify sexism as benevolent and paternalistic, as well as being the result of differential gender socialization which makes women more emotional.