| Abstract [eng] |
Purpose and aims: to review the causes of sexual violence and ways to prevent it, and to investigate the stereotypical attitudes and knowledge about sexual violence of students in grades 9-10 in three schools before and after the two-lesson intervention on this topic. Methodology: Twelve classes of ninth and tenth-grade students (total sample of the first lesson: n=252, of which girls: n=138 and boys: n=112; total sample of the second lesson: n=217, of which girls: n=120, boys: n=91) participated in a two-lesson cycle on sexual violence. Before and after the two-lesson cycle, adolescents completed a questionnaire to test their stereotypical attitudes and knowledge about sexual violence. The data collected were analyzed and compared in groups of boys and girls according to the responses before and after the lesson cycle and between two genders. Results: Boys were more likely to believe in gender stereotypes and normalize violent behavior both before and after the lesson cycle and were less likely to change beliefs than girls. After the two lessons cycle, the knowledge of both boys and girls on the sexual violence and characteristics of healthy and harmful relationships improved. Girls were statistically significantly more likely to report experiencing sexual harassment than boys both before and after the lessons. Also, after the two lessons cycle, statistically significantly more girls reported experiencing/witnessing sexual harassment in their environment (20.3 pct. of girls before and 51.7 pct. after, respectively). Conclusions: The two-lesson intervention was effective enough to improve adolescents’ knowledge of sexual violence and to influence stereotypical beliefs in students of both sexes. Still, it remains unclear whether the two lessons would create lasting effects. In order to reduce the prevalence of sexual violence, the strategies on prevention of sexual violence should be included in the schools‘ curriculum and consistently implemented in educational institutions. |
