American Youth Violence in Relationships and Dating Studied
Monday, September 8, 2008 2:47 PM

Three United States studies released in July examine youth violence in relationships and dating. One studied 910 students on three college campuses and found that 42 percent report being victims of relationship violence. The study found that 15 percent of women report being victims of sexual violence, and men report committing more sexual violence than women.

The second study looked at serious dating violence in 12-to-17-year-olds.  The study found 2.7 percent of girls and 0.6 percent of boys are victims of dating violence (physical or sexual assault). Researchers surveyed 3,614 families by interviewing parents and teens separately.

The final study focused on sexual and dating violence in New York City.  The study found that 16.2 percent of New York high school students report “experiencing sexual violence at some point in their lives”.  Almost 90 percent of those reported abuse by a person they knew.  Fewer than 60 percent of these youth reported the violent experiences to someone else.  The most commonly reported effects of the violence were physical discomfort (31 percent), emotional discomfort (28 percent), poor health (28 percent), and low self esteem (25 percent).

Compiled from: “Violence Common Among Youth”, Family Violence Prevention Fund, 29 July 2008; “Relationship Violence Among Female and Male College Undergraduate Students”, Christine M. Forke, MSN, CRNP; Rachel K. Myers, BA; Marina Catallozzi, MD; & Donald F. Schwarz, MD, MPH, in Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 162(7):634-641 (2008). (Abstract only for non-subscribers.); “Prevalence and Correlates of Dating Violence in a National Sample of Adolescents”, Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 47(7):755-762, (July 2008). (Abstract only for non-subscribers.); and “Partners and Peers: Sexual and Dating Violence in the Lives of NYC Youth”, Columbia University Center for Youth Violence Prevention and the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault, June 2008.