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## Other Youth Topics

## Breadcrumb

            -  Youth Topics 
            -  Dating Violence Prevention 
            -           Teen Dating Violence and Gender      

# Teen Dating Violence and Gender

Both boys and girls experience and perpetrate teen dating violence; often teens report that both partners committed aggressive acts during the relationship.1 Studies focused on the rates of teen dating violence by gender have had inconsistent results. While some studies have found girls to be victims of teen dating violence at higher rates than boys,2 others have found similar rates of aggression/victimization between boys and girls.3 According to the most recent Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey System data the prevalence of dating violence victimization, defined as being hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by their boyfriend or girlfriend during the 12 months before the survey, was higher among 11th-grade males than 11th-grade females.4

While findings of teen dating violence rates based on gender remain inconsistent, research suggests that girls seem to suffer disproportionately from severe violence in relationships (i.e., physical and sexual assault).5 For example, studies have found that adolescent girls are more likely than boys to be seriously injured or suffer sexual abuse as a result of dating violence.6 Additionally, data from the National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence (NatSCEV) conducted in 2008 found that girls seemed to be more afraid of teen dating violence victimization compared to other types of victimization than boys; in a list of 43 types of victimization, girls ranked teen dating violence 13th while boys ranked it 42nd.7

Recent research has also found a relationship between intimate partner violence and reproductive coercion. A study of women ages 16 to 29 seeking care in five family planning clinics in Northern California found that of 16- to 20-year-old women (42.6 percent of the total sample) over half reported that they had experienced partner violence, 18 percent reported pregnancy coercion, and 12 percent reported birth control sabotage. These findings suggest an overlap in reports of partner violence, pregnancy coercion, and birth control sabotage and find a connection between these behaviors and unplanned pregnancies.8

Research also suggests that girls and boys have different motivations for aggressive acts against their partners.9 In reviewing research on teen dating violence, Mulford and Giordano found that
                      - both boys and girls reported anger as the prime cause of their aggressive acts;
                      - girls were more likely to also report self-defense as a motivator for aggression; and
                      - boys were more likely to report the desire for control.  10

Further research suggests that boys rarely reported physical harm and were more likely to laugh off aggressive acts by their partner,11 while girls reported serious harm and physical injury and tended to suffer long-term negative consequences such as suicide attempts, depression, and substance use. 12

Rates of violence and abuse are similar for teens in same-sex relationships, according to data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Almost a quarter of youth between the ages of 12 and 21 years in same-sex romantic or sexual relationships reported some type of partner violence victimization in the previous eighteen months, and a tenth reported experiencing physical violence by a dating partner. Findings showed that females were more likely to report victimization than males.13

## References

1 Mulford & Giordano, 20082 Wolitzky-Taylor et al., 2008; Marquart, Edwards, Stanley, & Wayman, 20073 O’Leary, Slep, Avery-Leaf, & Cascardi, 20084 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20105 Swahn, Simon, Arias, & Bossarte, 2008; Molider & Tolman, 19986 Halpern, Young, Waller, Martin, & Kupper, 2001; Molider & Tolman, 19987 Office of Justice Programs, 20118 Miller et al., 20119 Mulford & Giordano, 200810 Mulford & Giordano, 200811 Molider & Tolman, 199812 Ackard, Eisenberg, & Neumark-Sztainer 2007; Molider & Tolman, 1998; Olshen, McVeigh, Wunsch-Hitzig, & Rickert, 200713 Halpern, Young, Waller, Martin, & Kupper, 2004

## Other Resources on this Topic

### Agencies 

                          - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
                          - National Institute of Justice
                          - Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
                          - Office of Violence Against Women

### Announcements 

                          - 2022 National Crime Victims’ Service Awards Recipients Announced
                          - Domestic Violence Awareness Month
                          - June is Internet Safety Month
                          - Justice Department Announces $21.72 Million to Reduce Sexual and Domestic Violence on Campus, Support Children and Youth, and Engage Men and Boys as Allies
                          - National Adolescent Health Month Resources
                          - Recent Event: New Research Awards Aim to Prevent Youth Violence, Sexual Violence, and Child Abuse and Neglect
                          - Report: Dating Violence Reported by High School Students in 2017
                          - Resource: Campus Safety Special Feature
                          - Resource: Considering Family Context as an Important Element in the Prevention and Intervention of the Development of Teen Dating Violence
                          - Resource: Fact Sheet on Stalking Among College Students
                          - Resource: Healthy Native Youth Stand-Alone Lessons
                          - Resource: Intersection of Human Trafficking, Youth Homelessness, Intimate Partner Violence, and Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Website
                          - Resource: Let's Talk Podcast - The Offical National Runaway Safeline Podcast
                          - Resource: Literature Review on Teen Dating Violence
                          - Resource: NCFY
                          - Resource: Preventing Intimate Partner Violence Across the Lifespan: A Technical Package of Programs, Policies, and Practices
                          - Resource: Runaway & Homeless Youth and Relationship Violence Toolkit
                          - Resource: Talking is Power: Tools for Parents
                          - Resource: Teen Dating Violence
                          - Resource: Teen Dating Violence Literature Review
                          - Resource: Tip Sheets on Everyday Parenting Topics
                          - Resource: Tips for Parents and Caregivers of Teens
                          - Resource: Trends in Youth Arrests for Violent Crimes
                          - Resource: What Has Longitudinal Research on Teen Dating Violence Taught Us?
                          - Resource: Youth Advisory Councils
                          - Youth Voices Have Moved to YE4C

### Data Sources 

                          - 2011-2021 YRBS Data Summary and Trends Report
                          - Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)

### Departments 

                          - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

### Feature Articles 

                          - Dating Matters: Understanding Teen Dating Violence Prevention
                          - February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
                          - Just Launched! Redesigned YE4C
                          - Justice Department Research Shows That School-Level Interventions Reduce Dating Violence by up to 50 Percent
                          - National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
                          - Promoting Positive Adolescent Health Behaviors and Outcomes: Thriving in the 21st Century
                          - Teen Dating Relationships: Opportunities for Youth to Define What's Healthy and Unhealthy
                          - Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
                          - Teen Dating Violence Prevention
                          - The Halls Web Series

### Hotlines 

                          - National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline

### Programs 

                          - Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB)
                          - Preventing Teen Dating Violence and Youth Violence Program
                          - Resource: DELTA FOCUS (Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancements and Leadership Through Alliances, Focusing on Outcomes for Communities United with States) Program

### Publications 

                          - Bullying, Sexual, and Dating Violence Trajectories From Early to Late Adolescence
                          - Cultivating Evaluation Capacity: A Guide for Programs Addressing Sexual and Domestic Violence
                          - Get Smart, Get Help, Get Safe
                          - How Can Youth Workers Recognize Teen Dating Abuse?
                          - Intimate Partner Violence, 1993-2010
                          - New Report on Prevalence of Teen Dating Violence
                          - Prevalence and Characteristics of Sexual Violence, Stalking, and Intimate Partner Violence Victimization — National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, United States, 2011
                          - Q&A: The CDC Takes a Comprehensive Approach to Teen Dating Violence Prevention
                          - Special Feature: Teen Dating Violence
                          - Technology, Teen Dating Violence and Abuse, and Bullying
                          - Teen Dating Violence: How Peers Can Affect Risk & Protective Factors
                          - What Works to Prevent Teen Dating Violence?

### Resources 

                          - Report: Family and Youth Services Bureau Highlights in 2014 & 2015
                          - Report: Impact of Domestic Violence Policies and Practices on Girls and Young Women
                          - Report: National Survey of Teen Relationships and Intimate Violence
                          - Report: Predicting Intimate Partner Violence for At-Risk Young Adults and Their Romantic Partners
                          - Research Roundup: What Do We Know About Hispanic Youth and Teen Dating Violence?
                          - Resource: Considering Family Context as an Important Element in the Prevention and Intervention of the Development of Teen Dating Violence
                          - Resource: Dating Matters Interactive Guide on Informing Policy
                          - Resource: Family-Based Approaches to Preventing Teen Dating Violence Research
                          - Resource: Preventing Intimate Partner Violence Across the Lifespan: A Technical Package of Programs, Policies, and Practices
                          - Share with Youth: StrongHearts Native Helpline

### Technical Assistance 

                          - Striving to Reduce Youth Violence Everywhere

### Tools & Guides 

                          - 3 Bold Steps for School Community Change
                          - Model Programs Guide
                          - Our Revolution
                          - Problem-Oriented Guides for Police
                          - Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month Resources
                          - Updated Training: DATING MATTERS® — Understanding Teen Dating Violence Prevention

### Videos & Podcasts 

                          - 1 is 2 Many PSA
                          - 1 is 2 Many: Dating Violence PSA
                          - The Halls: Web Series

### Websites 

                          - Girls Health
                          - Teen Dating Violence
                          - Teen Dating Violence and Sexual Assault in Schools: Resources and a Call to Action

### Youth Topics 

                          - Dating Violence Prevention

## Youth Briefs

How Individualized Education Program (IEP) Transition Planning Makes a Difference for Youth with Disabilities
Youth who receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) and especially young adults of transition age, should be involved in planning for life after high school as early as possible and no later than age 16. Transition services should stem from the individual youth’s needs and strengths, ensuring that planning takes into account his or her interests, preferences, and desires for the future.

Youth Transitioning to Adulthood: How Holding Early Leadership Positions Can Make a Difference
Research links early leadership with increased self-efficacy and suggests that leadership can help youth to develop decision making and interpersonal skills that support successes in the workforce and adulthood. In addition, young leaders tend to be more involved in their communities, and have lower dropout rates than their peers. Youth leaders also show considerable benefits for their communities, providing valuable insight into the needs and interests of young people

How Trained Service Professionals and Self-Advocacy Makes a Difference for Youth with Mental Health, Substance Abuse, or Co-occurring Issues
Statistics reflecting the number of youth suffering from mental health, substance abuse, and co-occurring disorders highlight the necessity for schools, families, support staff, and communities to work together to develop targeted, coordinated, and comprehensive transition plans for young people with a history of mental health needs and/or substance abuse.

Young Adults Formerly in Foster Care: Challenges and Solutions
Nearly 30,000 youth aged out of foster care in Fiscal Year 2009, which represents nine percent of the young people involved in the foster care system that year. This transition can be challenging for youth, especially youth who have grown up in the child welfare system.

Coordinating Systems to Support Transition Age Youth with Mental Health Needs
Research has demonstrated that as many as one in five children/youth have a diagnosable mental health disorder. Read about how coordination between public service agencies can improve treatment for these youth.

Civic Engagement Strategies for Transition Age Youth
Civic engagement has the potential to empower young adults, increase their self-determination, and give them the skills and self-confidence they need to enter the workforce. Read about one youth’s experience in AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC).

## Main navigation

- Dating Violence Prevention
- Characteristics of Healthy & Unhealthy Relationships
- Prevalence
- Electronic Aggression
- Gender Considerations
- Risk Factors
- Prevention Programs
- Consequences
- Legal Responses
- Victim & Survivor Resources
- Public Awareness
- Additional Federal Resources
- References

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## Latest Resources

### Announcements

Resource: Youth Advisory Councils

Resource: What Has Longitudinal Research on Teen Dating Violence Taught Us?

Youth Voices Have Moved to YE4C

### Data Sources

2011-2021 YRBS Data Summary and Trends Report

2011-2021 YRBS Data Summary and Trends Report

2011-2021 YRBS Data Summary and Trends Report

### Feature Articles

Promoting Positive Adolescent Health Behaviors and Outcomes: Thriving in the 21st Century

Just Launched! Redesigned YE4C

Justice Department Research Shows That School-Level Interventions Reduce Dating Violence by up to 50 Percent

### Publications

What Works to Prevent Teen Dating Violence?

Teen Dating Violence: How Peers Can Affect Risk & Protective Factors

Technology, Teen Dating Violence and Abuse, and Bullying

### Resources

Report: Predicting Intimate Partner Violence for At-Risk Young Adults and Their Romantic Partners

Resource: Considering Family Context as an Important Element in the Prevention and Intervention of the Development of Teen Dating Violence

Resource: Preventing Intimate Partner Violence Across the Lifespan: A Technical Package of Programs, Policies, and Practices

### Youth Topics

Dating Violence Prevention