Dating Violence among Undergraduate Medical Students at a Public University in Mexico City: An Exploratory Study

Claudia Díaz Olavarrieta (), Antonio Rafael Villa, Benjamin Guerrero López, Ingrid Vargas Huicochea, Sandra García-Medina, Monica Aburto Arciniega, María Alonso Catalán, Germán E. Fajardo Dolci and Ma. Elena Medina-Mora Icaza
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Claudia Díaz Olavarrieta: Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 3000 Ave. Universidad, Copilco Universidad, Coyoacán, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
Antonio Rafael Villa: Research Division, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 3000 Ave. Universidad, Copilco Universidad, Coyoacán, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
Benjamin Guerrero López: Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 3000 Ave. Universidad, Copilco Universidad, Coyoacán, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
Ingrid Vargas Huicochea: Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 3000 Ave. Universidad, Copilco Universidad, Coyoacán, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
Sandra García-Medina: National School of Biological Sciences, National Polytechnic Institute, Prolongación de Carpio y, Plan de Ayala Street, Santo Tomás, Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
Monica Aburto Arciniega: Research Division, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 3000 Ave. Universidad, Copilco Universidad, Coyoacán, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
María Alonso Catalán: Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 3000 Ave. Universidad, Copilco Universidad, Coyoacán, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
Germán E. Fajardo Dolci: Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 3000 Ave. Universidad, Copilco Universidad, Coyoacán, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
Ma. Elena Medina-Mora Icaza: Faculty of Psychology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 3000 Circuito Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City 04510, Mexico

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-15

Abstract: Gender-based violence (GBV) and cyber-aggression are growing problems in Mexico, but there is a dearth of information on their associated risks. We aimed to determine the prevalence of dating violence (DV) and cyber-aggression in a public campus and compared students’ acceptability of abusive DV based on their sex and sexual orientation. We employed a cross-sectional design to survey 964 first-year medical students attending a public university. We analyzed who found “acceptable” abusive behaviors from a dating partner and carried out descriptive analyses of sample characteristics by sex. We included 633 women and 331 men. Homosexual and bisexual orientation was lower among women (1.5%, 4.8%) vs. men (16.9%, 7.2%). Of women and men, respectively, 64.2% and 35.8% reported having been in a dating relationship. Experiencing abusive behaviors in the year prior to the study was associated with students’ level of “acceptability”. A total of 43.5% of the students who experienced cyber-aggression did not report any mental health consequences, 32.6% did not seek professional help, and 17.4% reported feeling depressed. Students that accepted emotionally abusive DV behaviors displayed a fourfold risk of experiencing physical abuse. Women and sexual minorities are more at risk of experiencing GBV and DV. More male students reported being victims of cyber-aggression.

Keywords: dating violence; gender-based violence; Mexico; medical students (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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