Do teenage girls get attracted to disrespectful boys? Study answers why

After a certain age, girls are often bombarded with messages, calls and DMs from boys who use a certain demeaning tone and attitude with them, but also call them attractive. A recent study shows that often teenage girls get attracted to this attitude in boys and tend to get attached to them. As self-harming as it sounds, this is what happens in reality. The study further answered why this happens. This attitude of boys, who are lowkey violent and disrespectful in nature, can occur in different settings and situations. This association is referred to as coercive dominant discourse.
This study further pointed out that when teenage girls are exposed to this attitude in boys for a long time, it can start making them get attracted to this – leading to toxic emotional and sexual relationships. This discourse often manifests in certain peer groups, leading girls into disdainful hookups, which can be extremely violent in nature – both physically and emotionally.
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The study was conducted on 59 boys and 71 girls from 3 different secondary schools, all aged between 15 and 16.
Often the peer group that the girl is a part of starts normalising and justifying the violent nature of boys. This makes them fall prey to this discourse and get into relationships with boys who are not respectful. Even when they are not interested, peer pressure can be a pressing reason why they choose to fit in by being involved with a boy showing such a demeaning attitude. This goes the same way for boys as well – their peer group starts to normalise that they need to show a violent attitude to girls to attract them.
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Often when a girl and a boy are in a healthy relationship in their teenage years, they are termed as boring by their peer group. This drives them to seek relationships where chaos is rampant. The violent nature of boys can show up as bragging about other hookups, showing contempt towards the girl they are with to making demeaning remarks at their appearances.
This kind of relationship can have significant health effects – chronic pain, increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases, depression, and suicidal tendencies.
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