Los mitos del amor romántico en la perpetuación de la violencia basada en género entre jóvenes

Abstract

From a critical perspective, it has been recognized that certain cultural discourses surrounding love contribute to the legitimization of violent practices within romantic relationships, among them the myths of romantic love. Unconditional sacrifice, jealousy as an expression of affection, or the idea of destined love have been identified as factors that distort the perception of partner violence, making its recognition especially difficult among young people. This systematic review poses the following research question: How do the myths of romantic love influence the perpetuation of gender-based violence among young couples? Scientific literature published between 2014 and 2024 was analyzed, using as inclusion criteria studies on the link between romantic love, symbolic violence, and the gender perspective. The results show that myths of romantic love promote the normalization of psychological and symbolic violence, which often acts as a precursor to physical violence. Additionally, early socialization, traditional gender roles, and the influence of media and social networks are identified as key elements in the reproduction of these discourses. It was evidenced that power dynamics reinforcing structural inequalities expressed in micromachismos are reproduced within romantic relationships. In conclusion, the urgency of critically addressing love discourses through education and psychosocial intervention is highlighted, as a measure aimed at promoting more equitable relationships and preventing gender-based violence among young people. The findings contribute to the cultural understanding of machismo as a basis of violence and underscore the need to make visible those forms of abuse that are not always recognized as such