Prevalence and Correlates of Physical Aggression During Courtship

• NCJ Number: 104786
• Journal: Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 2 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1987) Pages: 82-90
• Author(s): I Arias; M Samios; K D O'Leary
• Date Published: 1987
• Length: 9 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: The results of this investigation were presented in part at the 56th Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Boston, March 1985.

Annotation

Violence is common during dating relationships, and males appear to be victimized more often than females.

Abstract

A total of 95 male and 175 female undergraduates at a State university in New York provided information about whether they had engaged in or been victims of physical aggression in past or current dating relationships. They completed anonymous questionnaires. The males and females both averaged 18 years of age and had begun dating at age 15. Fifty percent of the males and 66 percent of the females were currently involved in dating relationships. Thirty percent of the men and 32 percent of the women reported engaging in some form of physical aggression against a current steady dating partner. In addition, 49 percent of the men and 26 percent of the women reported being the victims of physical aggression from their current dating partner. Fifty percent of the men and 38 percent of the women had been victims of violence at some point during their dating histories. Twenty-seven percent of the men and 8 percent of the women had experienced severe physical aggression. Types of violence reported ranged from pushing to beatings or threats with a knife or gun. For both sexes, length of the dating relationship was associated with aggression and victimization. Victimization was associated with less liking for the partner, although the study method did not permit determination of the direction of the relationship. Data tables and 19 references.