Human development and gender violence: a bioecological integration / Desenvolvimento humano e violência de gênero: uma integração bioecológica

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the etiology of gender violence using the Bioecological Theory of Human Development. Such approach considers gender violence as a multidimensional phenomenon grounded in an interrelationship among several factors. Thus, this model is an heuristic tool that organizes several factors into four levels: personal (biological and psychological characteristics), processing (interpersonal interaction), contextual (social support network, community, and culture), and temporal (intra-, inter-, and trans-generational). The authors suggest that the proposed model is a useful tool for guiding future research studies and interventions.