Skip to main content
Log in

Violence and Sexual Coercion in High School Students' Dating Relationships

  • Published:
Journal of Family Violence Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A review of the dating violence literature reveals a limited number of studies with high school students and few studies that investigate the contextual issues of violence, such as meaning, motivation, and consequences. The present study sought to investigate the extent of dating violence victimization in a New Zealand sample of senior high school students (aged 16 to 18 years) and the perceived reasons for the violence, emotional effects, disclosure of the violence, and relationship consequences. A questionnaire that contained both open-ended and forced-choice items pertaining to experiences of violence and its consequences was developed using material gathered from focus group discussions with high school students. Findings showed gender similarity in the extent of violence and a number of significant gender differences in the aftermath of violence, particularly in the area of sexual coercion. These findings are discussed in the context of future research and prevention of dating violence.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • Bergman, L. (1992). Dating violence among high school students. Social Work, 37, 21–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bograd, M. (1990). Why we need gender to understand human violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 5, 132–135.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bookwala, J., Frieze, I., Smith, C., & Ryan, K. (1992). Predictors of dating violence: A multivariate analysis. Violence and Victims, 7, 297–311.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dekeseredy, W., & Schwartz, M. (1994). Locating a history of some Canadian woman abuse in elementary and high school dating relationships. Humanity and Society, 18, 49–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elley, W. (1985). The Elley-Irving Socio-Economic Index 1981 Census Revision. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 20, 115–128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finkelhor, D. (1988). The trauma of child sexual abuse: Two models. In G. Wyatt & G. Powell (Eds.), Lasting effects of child sexual abuse (pp. 61–82). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finn, J. (1986). The relationship between sex role attitudes and attitudes supporting marital violence. Sex Roles, 14, 235–244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gagne, M., & Lavoie, F. (1993). Young people's views on the causes of violence in adolescents' romantic relationships. Canada's Mental Health, 41, 11–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henton, J., Cate, R., Koval, J., Lloyd, S., & Christopher, S. (1983). Romance and violence in dating relationships. Journal of Family Issues, 4, 467–482.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, S. (1999). Issues in the dating violence literature: A review. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 4, 233–247.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaffe, P., Sudermann, M., Reitzel, D., & Killip, S. (1992). An evaluation of a secondary school primary prevention program on violence in intimate relationships. Violence and Victims, 7, 129–146.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jezl, D., Molidor, C., & Wright, T. (1996). Physical, sexual and psychological abuse in high school dating relationships: Prevalence rates and self-esteem issues. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 13, 69–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kimmel, M. (1997). Masculinity as homophobia: Fear, shame, and silence in the construction of gender identity. In M. Gergen, & S. Davis (Eds.), Toward a new psychology of gender (pp. 223–242). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lavoie, F., Vezina, L., Piche, C., & Boivin, M. (1995). Evaluation of a prevention program for violence in teen dating relationships. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 10, 516–524.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mercer, S. (1988). Not a pretty picture: An exploratory study of violence against women in high school dating relationships. Resources for Feminist Research, 17, 15–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Molidor, C. (1995). Gender differences of psychological abuse in high school dating relationships. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 12, 119–134.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peled, E. (1996). Secondary victims no more. In J. Edelson, & Z. Eisikovits (Eds.), Future interventions with battered women and their families (pp. 125–153). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, S., & Olday, D. (1992). “How was your date last night?” Intimate relationship violence among high school students. Human Services in the Rural Environment, 16, 24–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poitras, M., & Lavoie, F. (1995). A study of the prevalence of sexual coercion in adolescent heterosexual dating relationships in a Quebec sample. Violence and Victims, 10, 200–313.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prothrow-Stith, D. (1991). Deadly consequences. New York: Harper Perennial.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reuterman, N., & Burcky, W. (1989). Dating violence in high school: A profile of victims. Psychology: A Journal of Human Behavior, 26, 1–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roscoe, B., & Callahan, J. (1985). Adolescents' self-report of violence in families and dating relations. Adolescence, 20, 545–553.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, J., & Williams, J. (1992). From abusive household to dating violence. Journal of Family Violence, 7, 153–165.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sudermann, M., Jaffe, P., & Hastings, E. (1995). Violence prevention programs in secondary (high) schools. In E. Peled, P. Jaffe, & J. Edleson (Eds.), Ending the cycle of violence (pp. 232–254). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Summit, R. (1983). The child sexual abuse accomodation syndrome. Child Abuse and Neglec, 7, 177–193.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolfe, D. (1994). Preventing gender-based violence. Violence Update, 5, 1–8.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jackson, S.M., Cram, F. & Seymour, F.W. Violence and Sexual Coercion in High School Students' Dating Relationships. Journal of Family Violence 15, 23–36 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007545302987

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007545302987

Navigation