LONELINESS, RELATIONAL GENDER AND OFFLINE-ONLINE DATING VIOLENCE: REALITY THROUGH THE MIRROR?

In general, loneliness in dating relationships, and especially among adolescent couples, might be linked to gender socialization as a binary and opposite reality for men and women. Therefore, boys and girls learn that their world and the ways in which they can express themselves are completely different and distant, and so, they can often feel loneliness with their partner. However, nowadays, one field of gender research is beginning to move away from this dual foundation, shifting away from the concept of sex towards a more open category, one that also includes a social identity construct. The category of gender, considered from a relational perspective, can move away from the dual concept of by biological sex, towards a broader understanding of gender that enhances couples’ relationships, freeing them from feelings of loneliness. Currently, the online environment is the main attraction for young people and is, at the same time, closely linked to their offline daily life. This virtual environment represents a possibility for boys and girls who are free to construct their own individual being and relate with their peers in a natural way. In general, loneliness has been associated with the use of information and communication technologies (ICT), particularly the social media. However, the use of ICT is part of the life and world of the younger generation, and for this reason, virtual relationships mirror the culture and society where these boys and girls are growing and developing. Gender violence is linked to traditional roles and relationships based on a dual and opposite vision of gender models (masculinity and femininity), and it is a social reality both in offline and online contexts. Virtual spaces, where stereotypes, prejudices and discriminations are reproduced, are often ways to continue violent relationships between youngsters where loneliness will play an important role.