title: Gender-based violence and sexual and reproductive health among low-income youth in three Brazilian cities.
abstract: In this article, we investigate how gender-based violence (GBV) affects the sexual and reproductive health of impoverished adolescents and young adults. We analyse data from a 2011 survey of 450 young women and 300 young men aged 15-29, living in poor neighbourhoods of three middle-sized cities in Minas Gerais, Brazil. In this survey we used a closed-ended questionnaire to collect data from 150 women and 100 men in each city. Our main goal was to explore the relationship between GBV and young women's autonomy in relation to their sexuality, using indicators appropriate to Brazil. Our results showed a decreased prevalence of condom use at first intercourse and an increased prevalence of teenage pregnancies among young women who were in a relationship with a controlling and violent partner. Lower condom use was observed mostly among young men who acknowledged being violent and controlling towards a partner and they also were more likely to have made a partner pregnant as teenagers themselves. We conclude that some variables utilized here as indicators of control and violence from a partner and of young women's autonomy can help us to understand how GBV inside relationships affects the reproductive and sexual health of young men and women, and how empowering them can reduce their susceptibility to unwanted pregnancies and HIV and other STI infections.
authors: Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Electronic address: achacham@pucminas.br.
authors: Alessandra Sampaio
authors: AS
authors: Chacham
authors: Associate Professor, Department of Social Services, Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors: Andrea Branco
authors: AB
authors: Simão
authors: Associate Professor, Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors: André Junqueira
authors: AJ
authors: Caetano
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D060728:Reproductive Health; D012742:Sex Offenses; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population; D014754:Violence
keywords: Brazil; gender-based violence; reproductive health; sexual health; teenage pregnancy; youth