Sexual violence in dating relationships among high school adolescents: a school-based study

Authors

  • Isaura Barros Alves Pinto Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Departamento de Enfermagem, Vitória, ES, Brasil. Instituto de Medicina Social, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil. Departamento do Programa Nacional de Imunizações, Ministério da Saúde, Brasília, DF, Brasil.
  • Rita Mafalda Costa Francisco Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Faculdade de Ciências Humanas, Lisboa, Portugal.
  • Franciele Marabotti Costa Leite Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Departamento de Enfermagem, Vitória, ES, Brasil.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.8316.4919

Keywords:

Violence; Intimate Partner Violence; Adolescent Health; Epidemiology; Public Health; Nursing.

Abstract

Objective:   to analyze the prevalence of sexual violence in dating relationships among high school adolescents and its association with socioeconomic and behavioral characteristics and experiences of violence. Method:   a cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted among 1,238 adolescents aged 14 to 19 years enrolled in public and private schools who were in romantic relationships at the time of the study. Sampling was by clusters and stratification. Results:   of the 1,238 adolescents in romantic relationships, 7.8% (95% CI: 6.4-9.4) reported having experienced sexual violence in dating. The prevalence was 9.3% among girls and 5.1% among boys. There was a higher likelihood of sexual violence in dating relationships among non-heterosexual adolescents, those who had ever had sexual intercourse, those who used drugs, and those who had experienced bullying and cyberbullying (p<0.05). Conclusion:   it is essential that these findings contribute to the strengthening of educational campaigns in schools, addressing not only abusive behaviors but also the importance of consent, mutual respect, and the construction of secure emotional bonds among adolescents.

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Published

2026-10-09

Issue

Vol. 34 (2026)

Section

Original Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Including names of authors whose contribution does not fit into the above criteria cannot be justified. Those names can be included in the Acknowledgements section.
 Authors are fully responsible for the concepts disseminated in their manuscripts, which do not necessarily reflect the editors’ and editorial board’s opinion.

 

How to Cite

Pinto, I. B. A., Francisco, R. M. C., & Leite, F. M. C. (2026). Sexual violence in dating relationships among high school adolescents: a school-based study. Revista Latino-Americana De Enfermagem, 34, e4919. https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.8316.4919