Bisexual and violence in intimate relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic: in light of the complexity paradigm

This paper aims to analyze violence in intimate relationships experienced by bisexual individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic, from the perspective of the Complexity Paradigm. This work takes on a qualitative approach in the realm of strategic social research, and its participants included 27 adolescents and young individuals of both genders, who self-reported themselves as bisexuals and who lived in the state of São Paulo. The data were collected by means of a Google Docs on-line form, semi-structured interviews, and a field diary, and were analyzed in light of the aforementioned paradigm. The pandemic was used as a justification for the violent behaviors; bisexuality was used as a motivating factor for violence and as a justification for aggression; sexual violence was used as a form of punishment and control of bisexual sexuality; the discourses were used to exert power over the relational experiences of bisexual people. The bisexual population is invisible and has unique needs. This phenomenon presents social violence based on gender and sexual orientation as a risk factor. It is also important to highlight the scarce academic production on bisexuals, with emphasis on the phenomenon and the male population. The Complexity Paradigm contributed a comprehensive perspective on the theme, in an articulated and contextualized manner.