Abstract

Social norms surrounding sex and relationships remain gendered among young people in Vietnam, with men maintaining a privileged role in heterosexual relationships. This analysis explored how university students in Vietnam perceived prevailing gender norms, and how these norms influenced men’s understanding of sexual consent in dating relationships. This analysis drew primarily on in-depth interviews with heterosexual men and secondarily from interviews with women attending two universities in Hanoi in 2018. Thematic analysis of the interviews revealed a broader narrative about how prevailing gender norms shape men’s dating behaviour and beliefs about consent. Participants expected young men to be independent and decisive. Men were seen as free to initiate dating and sexual encounters. Some participants expected young women to be accommodating in dating relationships, although acceptable relationships for women were restricted, and premarital sex was a reputational risk. Most participants described cues for consent and non-consent for sex; however, dismissal of women’s refusals, and normalised sexual coercion were common. Among university men in Hanoi, gender norms privileging men and growing expectations of premarital sex may be normalising sexual coercion in dating relationships. University educational programmes are needed to promote equitable gender norms, affirmative sexual consent and expanded definitions of sexual coercion.

摘要

在越南的年轻人中，围绕性和关系的社会规范仍然是性别化的，男性在异性恋关系中保持着特权角色。这项分析探讨了越南大学生如何看待流行的性别规范，以及这些规范如何影响男性对约会关系中性同意的理解。该分析主要借鉴了对异性恋男性的深入采访，其次是对 2018 年在河内两所大学就读的女性的采访。对采访的主题分析揭示了一个更广泛的叙述，即普遍的性别规范如何塑造男性的约会行为和关于同意的信念。参与者期望年轻人独立和果断。男性被认为可以自由发起约会和性接触。一些参与者预计年轻女性在约会关系中会包容，尽管女性可接受的关系受到限制，而且婚前性行为是一种声誉风险。大多数参与者描述了同意和不同意性行为的线索；然而，驳回女性的拒绝和正常化的性胁迫是很常见的。在河内的大学男性中，赋予男性特权的性别规范和对婚前性行为的日益增长的期望可能正在使约会关系中的性胁迫正常化。需要大学教育计划来促进公平的性别规范、肯定的性同意和扩大性胁迫的定义。然而，驳回女性的拒绝和正常化的性胁迫是很常见的。在河内的大学男性中，赋予男性特权的性别规范和对婚前性行为的日益增长的期望可能正在使约会关系中的性胁迫正常化。需要大学教育计划来促进公平的性别规范、肯定的性同意和扩大性胁迫的定义。然而，驳回女性的拒绝和正常化的性胁迫是很常见的。在河内的大学男性中，赋予男性特权的性别规范和对婚前性行为的日益增长的期望可能正在使约会关系中的性胁迫正常化。需要大学教育计划来促进公平的性别规范、肯定的性同意和扩大性胁迫的定义。