About victims and perpetrators: The domestic violence representation in the Peruvian contemporary telenovelas

Cassano G.; Bertocchi B.; Bustinza M. · Comunicacion y Medios (2025) · DOI: 10.5354/0719-1529.2025.76496

Resumen

This article analyzes the configuration of the victim and perpetrator characters in Peruvian telenovelas that depicted gender-based violence between 2015 and 2020, when the feminist movement “Ni Una Menos” gained strength in Peru. We selected three telenovelas: Valiente Amor (2016), En la piel de Alicia (2019), and Mi vida sin ti (2020). This article uses a theoretical approach to gender-based violence against women and the importance of representations around the construction of meanings. The telenovela is a cultural device that engages with the daily lives of its audiences and has historically been associated with the universe and experiences of women. Therefore, it is relevant to observe the audiovisual phenomenon from a gender perspective. Based on a qualitative content analysis of sixteen scenes from the analyzed productions, the article identifies recurring themes in representing the cycle of violence, the configuration of the female figure as an ideal or imperfect victim, and the constitution of male victimizing characters who embody physical or economic power and strength.

Instituciones: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú