Citation

Molidor C, Tolman RM. Violence Against Women 1998; 4(2): 180-194.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

12295440

Abstract

This study investigates gender and contextual factors in adolescent dating and violence. It further examines the rate of victimization for adolescents and the critical aspect of the context and consequences of victimization. Data were collected through questionnaires given to 635 high school students between 13 and 18 years old. The analyses focused on comparing male and female reports of victimization in current and past dating relationships. The results revealed significant differences between adolescent girls and boys in the severity of violence experienced and in the seriousness of the consequences experienced from the abuse. The girls perceived the incidents of dating violence as serious assaults, which have damaging physical and psychological effects. On the contrary, boys do not consider these incidents to be as damaging. Furthermore, most of the girls inflict violence to boys as a form of self-defense against physical attacks or coercive sexual behavior. Male and female adolescents did not differ in overall frequency of violence in dating relationships. Consequently, adolescent girls experienced significantly greater levels of severe violence and disclosed more severe physical and emotional reactions toward these incidents.

Language: en