Cultural and Biological Aspects of Romantic Relationships and Domestic Violence in Intercultural Couples

Abstract

During the last 30 years, the globalization process has favored migratory movements. Social networks and websites promoting romantic relationships facilitate women´s marketing from developing to developed countries. To better understand the effects of the patriarchal model and intercultural factors on romantic relationships, we reviewed the recent literature seeking to address the reasons that lead to this type of relationship, and its consequences. For this, we searched for available articles in LILACS, MEDLINE, PubMed, and SciELO databases, and 67 articles met the inclusion criteria. The will to improve living conditions may lead to the decision of migrating. However, the statement about "interest" could not be confirmed. Websites contents reflect the patriarchal model of seeking relationships according to the representation of men´s superiority who act as "women´s consumers. A recent study showed that Spanish men seek a relationship with women from developing countries, mainly because they are in a condition of "crisis of masculinity. Studies have shown that immigrant women are more vulnerable to violence, social exclusion, and risks of mental health disorders. The different patterns of aggression, according to gender, are, yet, inconclusive. Through our study, based on the current literature, it was possible to identify a set of factors that lead to migratory flows in the context of romantic relationships and how intercultural couples have conducted to preserve their subjectivities and mental health.