Violence derived from sexual orientatio n in elderly adults

Introduction: People with an alternative sexual orientation to heterosexuality have suffered and continue suffering discrimination by sectors of society reluctant to accept diversity, which in certain cases, is translated into verbal or physical aggression. Socialization and heteronormative educatio...

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Main Authors: Juan Enrique Nebot Garcia, Naiara Martínez Gómez, Jesús Castro Calvo, Beatriz Gil Juliá, Rafael Ballester Arnal
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Asociación Nacional de Psicología Evolutiva y Educativa de la Infancia Adolescencia Mayores y Discapacidad 2019-08-01
Series:INFAD
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.infad.eu/RevistaINFAD/OJS/index.php/IJODAEP/article/view/1580
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author Juan Enrique Nebot Garcia
Naiara Martínez Gómez
Jesús Castro Calvo
Beatriz Gil Juliá
Rafael Ballester Arnal
author_facet Juan Enrique Nebot Garcia
Naiara Martínez Gómez
Jesús Castro Calvo
Beatriz Gil Juliá
Rafael Ballester Arnal
author_sort Juan Enrique Nebot Garcia
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: People with an alternative sexual orientation to heterosexuality have suffered and continue suffering discrimination by sectors of society reluctant to accept diversity, which in certain cases, is translated into verbal or physical aggression. Socialization and heteronormative education seem to be behind, which would explain that older people (those who lived and were educated in a historical moment where society was less tolerant of affective-sexual diversity) have been victimized largely. However, the violence towards this group remains silent and we hardly have statistics that offer a reliable image of this reality. Objective: The objective of this work is to know what percentage of the elderly have suffered violence due to their sexual orientation. Methodology: 449 Spaniards, between 40-70 years (M=47.21, SD=6.75), participated in this study (51.7% men, 48.3% women). In terms of orientation, 90.2% self-defined as heterosexual, 3.8% homosexual and 6% bisexual. They all completed an ad hoc questionnaire of sexual orientation and discrimination. Specifically, the discrimination was assessed through two questions: “Have you ever suffered any verbal aggression due to your sexual orientation?” and “Have you ever suffered any physical aggression due to your sexual orientation?”, both dichotomous (“Yes” / “No”). Results: Among homosexuals, 85.7% of men and 33.3% of women have suffered verbal violence due to their sexual orientation; likewise, 21.4% of men have suffered physical assaults, compared to 0% of homosexual women. Regarding bisexual people, 18.8% of men and 9.1% of women have received verbal violence, but none would report physical aggression. Finally, the percentage of  heterosexual people who reported having suffered verbal aggressions due to their sexual orientation is only 3.5% in men and 1.5% in women, and only 1% of women report physical aggression. The differences in the percentage of physical and verbal aggressions according to sexual orientation reach in both cases the level p.001. Conclusions: These results confirm the significant levels of discrimination suffered by the elderly with an alternative sexual orientation to heterosexuality, especially by homosexual men. Thus, like institutions and associations develop programs to prevent LGTBI violence in young people, victimization among older adults should be addressed too, which would minimize their psychosocial impact on this group.
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spelling doaj.art-e8f044f6a76148aeac171dc1e8a63e312023-01-02T23:22:09ZengAsociación Nacional de Psicología Evolutiva y Educativa de la Infancia Adolescencia Mayores y DiscapacidadINFAD0214-98772603-59872019-08-014137738610.17060/ijodaep.2019.n1.v4.15801293Violence derived from sexual orientatio n in elderly adultsJuan Enrique Nebot Garcia0Naiara Martínez Gómez1Jesús Castro Calvo2Beatriz Gil Juliá3Rafael Ballester Arnal4Universitat Jaume IUniversitat Jaume IUniversitat de ValènciaUniversitat Jaume IUniversitat Jaume IIntroduction: People with an alternative sexual orientation to heterosexuality have suffered and continue suffering discrimination by sectors of society reluctant to accept diversity, which in certain cases, is translated into verbal or physical aggression. Socialization and heteronormative education seem to be behind, which would explain that older people (those who lived and were educated in a historical moment where society was less tolerant of affective-sexual diversity) have been victimized largely. However, the violence towards this group remains silent and we hardly have statistics that offer a reliable image of this reality. Objective: The objective of this work is to know what percentage of the elderly have suffered violence due to their sexual orientation. Methodology: 449 Spaniards, between 40-70 years (M=47.21, SD=6.75), participated in this study (51.7% men, 48.3% women). In terms of orientation, 90.2% self-defined as heterosexual, 3.8% homosexual and 6% bisexual. They all completed an ad hoc questionnaire of sexual orientation and discrimination. Specifically, the discrimination was assessed through two questions: “Have you ever suffered any verbal aggression due to your sexual orientation?” and “Have you ever suffered any physical aggression due to your sexual orientation?”, both dichotomous (“Yes” / “No”). Results: Among homosexuals, 85.7% of men and 33.3% of women have suffered verbal violence due to their sexual orientation; likewise, 21.4% of men have suffered physical assaults, compared to 0% of homosexual women. Regarding bisexual people, 18.8% of men and 9.1% of women have received verbal violence, but none would report physical aggression. Finally, the percentage of  heterosexual people who reported having suffered verbal aggressions due to their sexual orientation is only 3.5% in men and 1.5% in women, and only 1% of women report physical aggression. The differences in the percentage of physical and verbal aggressions according to sexual orientation reach in both cases the level p.001. Conclusions: These results confirm the significant levels of discrimination suffered by the elderly with an alternative sexual orientation to heterosexuality, especially by homosexual men. Thus, like institutions and associations develop programs to prevent LGTBI violence in young people, victimization among older adults should be addressed too, which would minimize their psychosocial impact on this group.http://www.infad.eu/RevistaINFAD/OJS/index.php/IJODAEP/article/view/1580agresión físicaagresión verbalpersonas mayoresorientación sexual
spellingShingle Juan Enrique Nebot Garcia
Naiara Martínez Gómez
Jesús Castro Calvo
Beatriz Gil Juliá
Rafael Ballester Arnal
Violence derived from sexual orientatio n in elderly adults
INFAD
agresión física
agresión verbal
personas mayores
orientación sexual
title Violence derived from sexual orientatio n in elderly adults
title_full Violence derived from sexual orientatio n in elderly adults
title_fullStr Violence derived from sexual orientatio n in elderly adults
title_full_unstemmed Violence derived from sexual orientatio n in elderly adults
title_short Violence derived from sexual orientatio n in elderly adults
title_sort violence derived from sexual orientatio n in elderly adults
topic agresión física
agresión verbal
personas mayores
orientación sexual
url http://www.infad.eu/RevistaINFAD/OJS/index.php/IJODAEP/article/view/1580
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AT rafaelballesterarnal violencederivedfromsexualorientationinelderlyadults