Relacionamentos afetivo-sexuais na adolescência precoce e vulnerabilidades associadas em estudantes do município do Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

The sexual behavior of adolescents between the ages of 10 and 14 has been the object of investigation and the target of health care policies in several countries. The investment in studies with this group increased after the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), which considered them one of the most vulnerable groups to the violation of their fundamental rights, since sexual relationships in this age group are the result of abuse. The overall objective of the study was to analyze affective-sexual relationships in adolescents in this age group and to discuss associated vulnerabilities in high school students from public and private schools in the IX Administrative Region-AR of the city of Rio de Janeiro. The specific objectives were: to estimate the prevalence of sexual initiation during early adolescence (10 to 14 years old); to identify more vulnerable population subgroups to this problem; to understand the conception of adolescents about sexual violence in affective-sexual relationships during adolescence; and to identify the understanding of adolescents about the legal provision that typifies rape of a vulnerable person. This is a subproject, arising from the research “Statutory rape and other forms of violence against female adolescents”. The quantitative stage was carried out with 694 students, selected through a conglomerate sampling and stratified by class shift and administrative characteristics of the school. A structured self-completion questionnaire was applied. Confidence intervals at 95% and the Chi-square test (χ2) were used to evaluate the heterogeneity of the proportions between subgroups. The qualitative stage was developed through 13 focus groups with 132 students from the same AR. The data were analyzed with support of the webQDA software, in a hermeneutic-dialectical approach that gave rise to three thematic categories. The results were presented in two scientific articles. These results showed that the prevalence of sexual initiation in adolescents aged 10 to 14 years was 18.4%, being higher: in boys; in subgroups with greater social vulnerability; among those who had been hooked up/dated until 14 years of age; those who were victims of sexual violence in affective-sexual relationships; and those who presented risk behaviors for their health. The results of the qualitative stage proved that sexual initiation for girls is related to a romantic vision, making them feel safe and have confidence in their partners, while for boys it is associated with opportunity, free of other factors. Regarding the law in question, for most students, when consent for sexual practice is mutual, regardless of age, there is no violence. Sexual practice in this age group should be understood and addressed through an ecological context, where intersectoral public policies are proposed by considering a social context of multiple needs, and not only reproductive health. The contradictions in the perception of adolescents about vulnerability to sexual violence and statutory rape suggest that it is necessary to expand and qualify sex education in a comprehensive way for adolescents, as well as create spaces for discussion that can provide improvement to this legal provision in health and education services.