This paper presents the views of male adolescents on the topic of dating violence. Based on interviews and focus groups conducted in ten Brazilian cities between 2007 and 2009 the text takes as a parameter the analysis of the meanings of young males to physical, psychological and sexual aggression within intimate relationships. The study methodology focuses on the testimonies of 257 male students aged between 15 and 19 years, from both public and private schools. The study results show that the meanings attributed to the phenomenon of dating violence are shaped by rigid representations of gender roles, corresponding to the expectations regarding the performance of men and women in emotional-sexual relationships.
Courtship (Dating); Violence; Gender; Masculinity