Letícia (fictitious name) was invited by a schoolmate to go to an apartment with him. According to his report, the two had already been in a relationship. What was supposed to be a meeting between two people turned into violence when four of the boy’s friends arrived at the scene while she was having sex with him. The episode ended in one. The young people accused are between 18 and 19 years old. According to a report from Sheetthe , in Copacabana, no.
Faced with episodes like this, it is inevitable to ask: what drives young people to commit this type of crime? What ideas support such behavior? Can it function as an instrument of subjugation of women? The questions are many and the answers are far from simple.
Adolescence and the beginning of adulthood constitute a transitional stage marked by profound transformations. During this period, character formation is influenced by multiple socialization agents, such as family, friends and teachers, as well as by the discourses to which young people are exposed. At the same time, they seek recognition and belonging among their peers, in interactions that occur both in person and virtually.
According to the article “Taught to Hate, Longing to Belong: Misogyny and the Making of Masculinity in Adolescence”, by Afarin Rajaei, Chantal Hanna and Shakiba Jonaghani, masculinity, during adolescence, is constructed from the internalization of cultural narratives, socialization experiences and the increasingly present influence of digital environments.
Furthermore, the combination of misogyny and relativization can favor the development of a “toxic” masculine identity, leading young people to adopt violent and aggressive behavior against women. Thus, environments that distort the concept of masculinity and associate it with female domination, control and aggression can contribute to this phenomenon. These attitudes manifest themselves in comments such as “women shouldn’t wear low-cut clothes”, in the disqualification of rape victims, whether in the real or virtual world, or, in more extreme cases, in the resort to physical violence.
Regardless of the motivation, violence against women must be strictly punished by law. However, as a society, we need to reflect on ways to prevent these behaviors. Parents must maintain an open channel of dialogue with their children and be alert to changes in behavior. Furthermore, coping needs to be integrated, involving doctors, psychologists, educators and public policy makers.
Schools can promote digital literacy and emotional intelligence, preparing teenagers to confront misogynistic narratives and learn to navigate networks critically. They can also offer digital literacy courses for parents and caregivers, as well as guidance on how to talk to their children, in order to prepare them to face this challenge.
At the same time, public policies can be created to regulate digital content and demand greater responsibility from platforms, especially when their algorithms encourage certain ideologies and reinforce emotional isolation. Furthermore, it is possible to support initiatives aimed at training educators and professionals to identify and deal with signs of digital radicalization and emotional isolation among adolescents. The path is difficult, but we need to face it as soon as possible.
LINK PRESENT: Did you like this text? Subscribers can access seven free accesses from any link per day. Just click the blue F below.
