Who Perpetrates Teen Dating Violence?

The authors reviewed the findings from three studies that examined who (boys, girls or both) commits violence in teen dating relationships.

In the Toledo adolescent relationship study, which interviewed more than 1,300 seventh, ninth and 11th graders, 13 percent of girls in physically aggressive relationships reported that boys were the sole perpetrators, 36 percent said they were the sole perpetrators, and 51 percent reported both they and their partner committed aggressive acts during the relationship. Six percent of the boys in physically aggressive relationships said they were the sole perpetrators, 47 percent said girls were the sole perpetrators, and 47 percent reported mutual aggression.

In the Suffolk County study of dating aggression in Long Island, N.Y., high schools, 5 percent of girls in physically aggressive relationships reported that boys were the sole perpetrators, 28 percent said they were the sole perpetrators, and 65 percent reported both they and their partner committed aggressive acts during the relationship. Five percent of the boys in physically aggressive relationships said they were the sole perpetrators, 27 percent said girls were the sole perpetrators, and 66 percent reported mutual aggression.

In the Oregon youth couples study, which videotaped teen couples while they performed problem-solving tasks, researchers observed that in 8 percent of the physically aggressive relationships, boys were the sole perpetrators; in 33 percent of the physically aggressive relationships, girls were the sole perpetrators; and in 58 percent there was mutual aggression.

Back to: Teen Dating Violence: A Closer Look at Adolescent Romantic Relationships  TDB