Cifra negra y victimización masculina: manifestaciones de la violencia psicológica en el noviazgo de jóvenes de 18 a 25 años

Violence in intimate partner relationships constitutes a social, criminological, and public health problem that has been predominantly studied from the perspective of female victimization. This perspective has made it possible to highlight a historically neglected issue; however, it also raises the need to broaden victimological analysis to other experiences of violence, including male victimization. The purpose of this article is to analyze the manifestations of psychological violence experienced by young men aged 18 to 25 during dating relationships, as well as the sociocultural factors that may contribute to its invisibilization and limit help-seeking or reporting. Recent literature shows that men can experience psychological, verbal, physical, sexual violence and controlling behaviors within intimate relationships. In particular, studies on dating violence have identified associations between psychological victimization and consequences related to mental health, relationship satisfaction, and self-esteem. Likewise, qualitative research indicates that traditional masculinity norms, fear of not being believed, shame, and the perception that seeking help constitutes an expression of weakness may constitute barriers to recognizing one's own victimization. In Mexico, available evidence remains limited, although research conducted with young men has identified the presence of controlling behaviors, isolation, and verbal violence in dating relationships. Therefore, studying male victimization does not imply disregarding the magnitude of violence against women, but rather broadening the criminological understanding of violence in affective relationships and contributing to the development of prevention, detection, and care mechanisms sensitive to different victimization experiences.