Gender-specific jealousy and infidelity norms as sources of sexual health risk and violence among young coupled nicaraguans

S. Boyce, P. Zeledón, E. Tellez and C. Barrington

American Journal of Public Health, 2016, vol. 106, issue 4, 625-632

Abstract: Gender inequity negatively affects health in Central America. In 2011, we conducted 60 semistructured interviews and 12 photovoice focus groups with young coupledmen andwomen in León, Nicaragua, to explore theways inwhich social norms around marriage and gender affect sexual health and gender-based violence. Participants' depictions of their experiences revealed gendered norms around infidelity that provided a narrative to justify male expressions of jealousy, which included limiting partner autonomy, sexual coercion, and physical violence against women, and resulted in increased women's risk of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. By understanding and taking account of these different narratives and normalized beliefs in developing health-and gender-based violence interventions, such programs might be more effective in promoting gender-equitable attitudes and behaviors among young men and women in Nicaragua.

Keywords: adolescent; adult; female; gender identity; high risk behavior; human; human relation; information processing; jealousy; male; Nicaragua; partner violence; psychology; reproductive health; sexual behavior; sexuality; sociological theory; spouse; young adult, Adolescent; Adult; Female; Focus Groups; Gender Identity; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Intimate Partner Violence; Jealousy; Male; Nicaragua; Reproductive Health; Risk-Taking; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Partners; Social Theory; Spouses; Young Adult (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2015.303016_1

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2015.303016

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