The following section discusses gender and teen dating violence. It is important to note that both boys and girls can be victims of teen dating violence.
As I began my research on teen dating violence, I came across a number of websites that repeated the same statement: “Both boys and girls experience and perpetrate teen dating violence” (Find Youth Info, 2012). No matter how many times I read this statement I was continually caught off-guard. Is the number really the same? Are girls the perpetrator as often as they are the victim of dating violence? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Survey, more female adolescents reported being the victim to physical dating violence and sexual dating violence than males in 2013 (CDC, 2014). However, in study by Schwartz, O’Leary, and Kendziora that examined perpetration of physical and sexual violence among suburban adolescents, 44% of girls reported perpetrating at least one act compared to only 16% of boys (1997). The difference found is shocking and greatly contrasts the findings of the CDC. In fact most studies that look into gender and teen dating violence have inconsistent results. Some have found girls to be victims of teen dating violence at higher rates while others find similar rates between girls and boys (Find Youth Info, 2012). While the inconsistencies don’t tell us much, the specifics of the studies bring to light some noteworthy points that should be considered.
The Schwartz, O’Leary, and Kendziora study found that more girls reported perpetrating at least one act of physical violence, however the study also found that boys reported committing more serious acts of violence such as threats with a gun or knife or beating up their partner. The girls on the other hand reported that they kicked, pushed, shoved, and slapped (Schwartz, 1997). When I first read this, I felt angry that the acts of the females were even in the same general category as the men’s acts. I wondered if both should be considered “physical violence”? Are they the same in severity? However, as I thought about it further I realized that I would consider a male adolescent pushing or shoving his female partner to be an act of physical violence. Gender norms cannot be applied to acts such as these because one is not more severe than the other. All acts in which another person chooses to harm another person should be considered physical violence and the punishment should be equal. This lies in accordance with deterrence and retribution philosophies of punishment, which assumes individuals have free will and are responsible for their actions, therefore the punishment should fit the crime (Capeheart & Milovanovic, 2007). Furthermore, to determine the amount of hurt caused due to the gender of the perpetrator would not be just. As categorizing the severity of the physical violence would be to take away the individual’s agency to determine for himself or herself their level of hurt.
Another study brings up the point of self-defense. O’Keefe in a study that looked at a sample of adolescents in Los Angeles found 44% of girls and 39% of boys reported committing an act of physical or sexual violence against a partner. O’Keefe also looked into the context of the violence and the boys and girls both reported acting out of anger. When asked further about their acts of violence, however, many girls reported using violence as a form of self-defense, while the boys reported using violence to exert domination and control (O’Keefe, 1997). This asks the question is violence still violence if it is self-defense? And if the violent act is self-defense should the punishment be the same? Rehabilitation philosophy of punishment assumes a person “is determine by forces beyond his or her control” and the punishment should “fit the criminal” (Capeheart & Milovanovic, 2007). In a case of self-defense, this states that an act of self-defense is determined by the actions and environment around the individual, therefore the victim chooses physical violence in order to stop further harm.
This analysis of gender and teen dating violence suggests that both girls and boys can be the victim and/or the perpetrator. However, gender does appear to play a role in the type of violence used and the reason for violence. These findings shocked me. But who is to blame? Men are expected to be aggressive. They are expected to dominate. This is how our society portrays them in the media. How can we expect our adolescents to act any different?
References
Capeheart, L. & Milovanovic, D. (2007). Social justice: Theories, issues, and movements. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (2014). Surveillance summaries: Youth risk behavior surveillance – United States. Morbidity and Morality Weekly Report 63 (no. SS-4).
Find Youth Info (2012). Teen dating violence and gender. Retrieved from http://findyouthinfo.gov/youth-topics/teen-dating-violence/gender
O’Keefe, M. (1997). Predictors of dating violence among high school students. Journal of Interpersonal Violence (12) 4, 546-568.
Schwartz, M., O’Leary, S.G., & Kendziora, K.T. (1997). Dating aggression among high school students. Violence and Victims 12 (4), 295-305.
As I began my research on teen dating violence, I came across a number of websites that repeated the same statement: “Both boys and girls experience and perpetrate teen dating violence” (Find Youth Info, 2012). No matter how many times I read this statement I was continually caught off-guard. Is the number really the same? Are girls the perpetrator as often as they are the victim of dating violence? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Survey, more female adolescents reported being the victim to physical dating violence and sexual dating violence than males in 2013 (CDC, 2014). However, in study by Schwartz, O’Leary, and Kendziora that examined perpetration of physical and sexual violence among suburban adolescents, 44% of girls reported perpetrating at least one act compared to only 16% of boys (1997). The difference found is shocking and greatly contrasts the findings of the CDC. In fact most studies that look into gender and teen dating violence have inconsistent results. Some have found girls to be victims of teen dating violence at higher rates while others find similar rates between girls and boys (Find Youth Info, 2012). While the inconsistencies don’t tell us much, the specifics of the studies bring to light some noteworthy points that should be considered.
The Schwartz, O’Leary, and Kendziora study found that more girls reported perpetrating at least one act of physical violence, however the study also found that boys reported committing more serious acts of violence such as threats with a gun or knife or beating up their partner. The girls on the other hand reported that they kicked, pushed, shoved, and slapped (Schwartz, 1997). When I first read this, I felt angry that the acts of the females were even in the same general category as the men’s acts. I wondered if both should be considered “physical violence”? Are they the same in severity? However, as I thought about it further I realized that I would consider a male adolescent pushing or shoving his female partner to be an act of physical violence. Gender norms cannot be applied to acts such as these because one is not more severe than the other. All acts in which another person chooses to harm another person should be considered physical violence and the punishment should be equal. This lies in accordance with deterrence and retribution philosophies of punishment, which assumes individuals have free will and are responsible for their actions, therefore the punishment should fit the crime (Capeheart & Milovanovic, 2007). Furthermore, to determine the amount of hurt caused due to the gender of the perpetrator would not be just. As categorizing the severity of the physical violence would be to take away the individual’s agency to determine for himself or herself their level of hurt.
Another study brings up the point of self-defense. O’Keefe in a study that looked at a sample of adolescents in Los Angeles found 44% of girls and 39% of boys reported committing an act of physical or sexual violence against a partner. O’Keefe also looked into the context of the violence and the boys and girls both reported acting out of anger. When asked further about their acts of violence, however, many girls reported using violence as a form of self-defense, while the boys reported using violence to exert domination and control (O’Keefe, 1997). This asks the question is violence still violence if it is self-defense? And if the violent act is self-defense should the punishment be the same? Rehabilitation philosophy of punishment assumes a person “is determine by forces beyond his or her control” and the punishment should “fit the criminal” (Capeheart & Milovanovic, 2007). In a case of self-defense, this states that an act of self-defense is determined by the actions and environment around the individual, therefore the victim chooses physical violence in order to stop further harm.
This analysis of gender and teen dating violence suggests that both girls and boys can be the victim and/or the perpetrator. However, gender does appear to play a role in the type of violence used and the reason for violence. These findings shocked me. But who is to blame? Men are expected to be aggressive. They are expected to dominate. This is how our society portrays them in the media. How can we expect our adolescents to act any different?
References
Capeheart, L. & Milovanovic, D. (2007). Social justice: Theories, issues, and movements. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (2014). Surveillance summaries: Youth risk behavior surveillance – United States. Morbidity and Morality Weekly Report 63 (no. SS-4).
Find Youth Info (2012). Teen dating violence and gender. Retrieved from http://findyouthinfo.gov/youth-topics/teen-dating-violence/gender
O’Keefe, M. (1997). Predictors of dating violence among high school students. Journal of Interpersonal Violence (12) 4, 546-568.
Schwartz, M., O’Leary, S.G., & Kendziora, K.T. (1997). Dating aggression among high school students. Violence and Victims 12 (4), 295-305.