MISCONCEPTIONS, stereotypes and myths are rife among Cypriot youth, further fuelling gender inequality and gender-based violence (GBV), a study by the Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies (MIGS) has shown.
According to the project’s coordinator, Georgina Christou, the aim of the study was to cover a gap in Cyprus’ education system on matters concerning the two sexes and GBV. The study was presented at a news conference in Nicosia yesterday.
The survey – carried out with the participation of 453 secondary school pupils from two private and four public schools – also hoped to find a correlation between popular misconceptions and GBV. The average age of those polled was 15 years.
The report will be given to the education ministry in March with suggestions.
The study found that boys appeared more conservative and more susceptible to stereotypes, as well as more accepting when it came to violence.
A large number of children – including girls – felt women were to blame for falling victim to violence, provoking it by behaviour including infidelity, a refusal to provide sex, failure to satisfy and nagging.
“Based on history, when women were treated as inferior, some women may unconsciously still have this in mind and believe it. Sometimes women become victims by choice because they accept the stereotype that women are inferior and must obey their men,” said one schoolgirl at the conference.
Another girl added said some boys would always believe that women are inferior because of what they are taught and what they see.
The study found that patriarchal conceptions were connected to all forms of violence – physical, sexual and psychological.
Popular myths and misconceptions among schoolchildren were that jealousy in a relationship was a good thing as “it showed the other person “cared”. Another was that girls provoke sexual attacks by the way they dress.
The study also examined the differences between the views of children in urban and rural schools where it found a contradiction. Where city children felt GBV had increased due to more equality between the two sexes, lack of control from parents and lack of respect towards others, children in rural areas felt violence had decreased. The latter said the reason was that village women had more freedom, and there was a stricter law in place for domestic violence. They also maintained that parents now spoke more freely about relationships and sexuality than in the old days.
MIGS called on all parties – parents, schools and the state – to work together to help educate children on gender issues and rid them of misconceptions and myths that could lead to undesirable behaviours.
The survey’s main researcher, Margarita Kapsou, said: “Education on gender issues will not only sensitise pupils on the current inequalities and gaps, but it will also encourage them to recognise the benefits and progress that have been achieved, as well as help in the management of mixed messages.”
She added: “This procedure could help dismantle the myths that continue to be widespread”.
