An evaluation of Safe Dates, an adolescent dating violence prevention program. Among Adolescents Many Americans feel concern about domestic violence. However, relatively few know about relatively widespread dating violence among young people. Dating violence includes physical violence, such as hitting or punching, as well as nonconsensual sexual activity and forcible rape. While both females and males may suffer dating violence, female teens in heterosexual relationships are more likely to be injured and to suffer emotionally than are their male peers.
Many young people believe myths about sexual violence and rape.
However, programs to prevent dating violence can positively change attitudes if they are appropriately implemented and reach all youth, including those most in need. In one study of over 1,000 high school students, over 45 percent of females and over 43 percent of males reported being the recipient of violence from dating partners at least once. 1 Mutually violent relationships, in which young people both suffer and perpetrate violence, may be fairly common. These adolescents also reported significantly higher amounts of violence, severe violence, and injuries sustained compared to teens that were only victims of dating violence. 2 Many teens involved in mutually violent relationships more readily accepted dating violence than did teens who were violence victims only.