Women and Symbolic Violence: Measurement Scale of Gender in Tourism Sustainability and the Case of Ecuador

This study addresses the persistence of patriarchal structures and the reproduction of traditional gender roles in rural settings. In particular, this research explores agritourism, an emerging sector of rural tourism that, while providing economic opportunities in rural areas, also ends up perpetuating female subordination. In response to this issue, the manifestation of symbolic gender-based violence in the field of agritourism was analyzed, and a reliable and validated psychometric measurement scale was developed. The instrument identified and quantified the specific dimensions of symbolic gender-based violence in this context. To meet these objectives, the Delphi Method was used asynchronously for the design of the questionnaire, and an exploratory factor analysis was applied with a sample of 299 participants to validate its internal structure. The results indicate the existence of a robust structure made up of six key factors: feminized entrepreneurship, occupational self-segregation, stereotyped roles, limited access to land, glass ceiling, and wage discrimination. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the symbolic mechanisms of gender-based violence in agritourism and offer an analytical tool for future research in the field of gender studies and rural tourism.