Adolescents' Comprehension of Gender-Related Violence: Gender and Cultural Influences

Many studies show that Gender-Related Intimate Partner Violence (GRIPV) is a persistent problem among young Europeans, yet there is a significant gap in the literature when it comes to comparing the Italian and Spanish contexts. This survey study, grounded in a feminist ontological and political perspective, explores how gender ascription and cultural elements shape Barcelona and Milan secondary school students' awareness and perception of GRIPV. We collected 1,216 responses and after a first descriptive analysis, we created some indicators to identify variations in the responses corroborating their consistency through a Validation Factor Analysis. We then used Spearman's coefficient to identify correlations by gender and city. The main findings reveal a general awareness of IPV, which does not immediately translate into the ability to perceive such violence in one's environment or comprehend its gender aspects. Interestingly, young people in Barcelona show a higher level of awareness regarding this issue, whereas those in Milan more frequently perceive the existence of violence in their environment. However, it is crucial to note that gender differences outweigh the cultural ones in terms of awareness of GRIPV. These findings should be considered for future interventions addressing the complexity of GRIPV.