Normalization of Domestic Violence and Gender. Youth from Mexicali, Baja California

Abstract

The place where we live as members of a collective has a substantial influence on decision-making and the definition of an identity. All the elements that determine a context of social coexistence imply the objective elements with which individuals define our action. The objective of this article is to show how a context of violence can influence a process of normalization towards domestic violence and violence against women. An exploratory qualitative study was carried out in the colonies with the highest incidence of crime in the municipality of Mexicali, Baja California, targeting young people between 14 and 19 years old. During 2021,629 young people were surveyed and criminal incidence statistics were obtained from seven colonies considered a high priority by the municipality. The results show that there is a process of normalization towards violent behavior by young people living in spaces where family and gender violence have a daily presence. A descriptive approach with these dimensions is important because the identity of young people is permanently under construction and defines who they are and how they see themselves in relation to the world around them.