Efectivitat d'una intervenció per a l'apoderament de l'estudiantat universitari en la construcció de relacions afectivosexuals saludables

Abstract

Introduction: Sexual Violence (SV) is the most common type of Gender Violence (GV). Different studies carried out in the United States of America show that the prevalence of SV among college students is high. Although in Spain there is little scientific evidence about this phenomenon, a research carried out at Universitat de Girona obtained a similar prevalence. Prevention programs of GV at universities have been developed in the United States of America, which are almost nonexistent in Spanish universities. Participatory Action Research involves people in the community, considered agents of change, favoring their sensitivity, awareness and empowerment. Objective: To design, implement and evaluate a social intervention to sensitise and make college students aware of the SV phenomenon and to empower them in affective-sexual healthy relationships so that they become agents of change. Material and methods: Elaboration, implementation and evaluation of an

intervention with Participatory Action Research, evaluated through a quasi- experimental pre-post study and a qualitative phenomenological research. The

investigation is carried out from February to May 2019. The studied population is students of Universitat de Girona enrolled in the degrees in the academic year 2018-2019. The study sample is 22 college students. To evaluate the intervention this process indicator is evaluated: degree of implementation and intervention quality of execution. To results evaluation the following indicators are evaluated: level of knowledge, sensitivity, awareness, empowerment and knowledge transfer. The quantitative study consisted of administering ad hoc surveys and performing an univariate and bivariate descriptive analysis. Qualitative research was based on semi-structured group interviews. Results: As it can be deduced from participants' speeches, it exists normalization of SV acts in leisure and alcohol and other drugs consumption context. After the intervention, participants increased their knowledge about this phenomenon as well as increased the identification of this acts and they also report an increase in sensitivity and awareness of SV. Participants achieved, globally, their expectations for workshops, valued positively their topics as well as the methodologies used and they considered various improvement proposals. Conclusions: This intervention has been effective. Students have reported attitudinal and behavioral changes in SV acts, recognizing their empowerment in affective-sexual relationships, censorship of attitudes and behaviors that favor sexual violence as well as knowledge transfer to students of their environment. Participants consider themselves as social change agents in their environment and with regard to healthy relationships