“Half of the youth of Tenerife deny the existence of sexist violence and believe that it affects men and women equally”. This is one of the conclusions drawn from the Sociodemographic Study of the Island’s Adolescent and Youth Population, prepared by the University of La Laguna at the request of the Cabildo and which was presented this Tuesday. The professor of Sociology at the ULL Ester Torrado highlighted that young people and adolescents in Tenerife receive sexual and gender equality training through educational centers, but with poor quality and continuity. “This has as a consequence the perception that this population has regarding sexist violence and sexuality, which is far from achieving real equality,” he said.
“We are very concerned about the fact that 50% of the young people surveyed are deniers of sexist violence or do not differentiate it from other types of violence. It is really worrying that they consider that sexist or gender violence is suffered equally by men and women ”, said the teacher.
A study that once again reflects gender roles
The objective of the study focused on knowing the profile of adolescents and young people residing in Tenerife to establish the common characteristics around culture and leisure and free time habits, as well as the knowledge and perception around gender violence in the ages between 11 to 20 years. The information used was collected through the analysis of demographic and labor data and by conducting surveys.
Most of the people surveyed for the report study at university. Of these, 58% are women, compared to 47.1% men. These data could indicate that women aspire to have a higher level of education than men, possibly as an aspiration to combat the gap that still exists in the workplace; glass ceilings and wage gap.
It was also reflected in this study that women dedicate more time to housework and care, personal hygiene and study (6.7 hours a day in women between 18 and 22 years old) than men (5.2 hours a day in male between 18 and 22 years old). They also spend more time on the Internet and sports. In this way, it is evident that traditional gender roles continue to be reproduced as a result of differential socialization according to sex. The ULL professor placed special emphasis on the importance of online gambling and pornography, as eminently male activities.
Regarding the sexual habits of young people and adolescents in Tenerife, four out of ten started having sex between the ages of 16 and 18 and eight out of ten say they had had sex before the age of 18. 87% of the people participating in the survey who have had sexual intercourse use contraceptive methods compared to 12.1% who affirm not to use them. Within this percentage, more than five out of ten do not consider it necessary to use them and in the case of women under 18 years of age, this figure is higher.
The report was presented together with the counselor Priscila de León, who explained that this action is part of the strategy in which the Cabildo de Tenerife is already working “for the preparation of the first Plan for the prevention of gender violence at an early age, with which the Law against Gender Violence will be complied with ”. He also recalled that “previously we also presented together with Professor Torrado an analysis on the consumption of pornography in adolescents and young people and its link with sexual or gender violence.”
