Proving their love: Violence and gender norms in descriptions of relationships among rural Mexican adolescents

Abstract Mexican youth from impoverished areas are at increased risk for experiencing relationship violence. Research in the United States has suggested that perpetration may be contextualized by culturally-influenced gender values, specifically performance of negative aspects of male masculinity (i.e., machismo) and its female counterpart (i.e., marianismo). This study utilized focus group methods to explore how middle school adolescents ( N  = 98) from a rural area of Central Mexico differentiate between healthy and unhealthy dating relationships. We evoked a feminist developmental lens to interpret themes which centralized males as physical and sexual aggressors and to offer culturally-relevant program and practice recommendations.