About a year or so ago, I encountered this fascinating analysis by the social scientist Alice Evans

Found your first problem.

...social scientist Alice Evans...

And your second.

...who argues that the status of women in a particular society can be predicted by examining how that society prizes romantic love.

Yes, sure, maybe. But which is the cause, and which is the effect? Higher value women will be sought after and "prized" more. Men will be more interested in pursuing romance with them. If a large chunk of women are absolutely toxic, however...of course women won't be as prized.

So you could turn it around and say the worth of women in a society is measured by how much romance is valued. Very similar, but also completely opposite.

"Social scientists" are cancer. They decided on a result before they even started the research, nine times out of ten...and I worry that that's being generous.