Type:	Journal Article
Title:	"If it hurts you, then it is not a joke": adolescents' ideas about girls' and boys' use and experience of abusive behaviour in dating relationships
Other Titles:	Journal of interpersonal violence
Authors:	Saint-Pierre, Marcelle Sears, Heather A Byers, E. Sandra Whelan, John J
Keywords:	Impact on children and young people;Dating violence
Year:	2006
Publisher:	Sage Publications
Citation:	21 (9), September 2006
Notes:	Previous studies used the types of behaviours categorised as adult violence which failed to capture the specific nature of teenage dating violence which includes physical and psychological violence. This Canadian study looks at how youths perceive violence and what constitutes violence in a dating relationship, particularly examining whether there is a gender correlation between physical and psychological violence. .The study audio-taped focus groups and then coded the responses of participants according to an interview guide which the focus group followed. 8 themes emerged in the study as a follows: 1. Youths define behaviour as abusive only in specific contexts; 2. Boys define abuse by its intent, girls by its impact; 3. Boys use more physical abuse, girls use more psychological abuse; 4. Youths perceive there is a double standard associated with the use by boys of physical abuse compared to the use of physical abuse by girls; 5. Psychological abuse reflects a struggle for control – both by boys and girls. 6. Physical abuse and psychological abuse are connected; 7. Embarrassment prevents teens from disclosing dating violence; and 8. Adolescents want skills to have healthy relationships. Although most youths found dating violence unacceptable, many agree that specific abusive behaviours are acceptable in dating relationships. Since research has shown that teens who perceive violence as acceptable are more likely to perpetrate or experience it, it is important to intervene to address the belief that any abusive behaviour is acceptable. Boys need to understand that unintended violence is still unacceptable since they tend to only perceive acts as abusive if they were intended to be so. The study found that boys are using less physical violence than they have in the past while psychological violence is increasing by both boys and girls. There were some limitations in the study, including its limiting the sample to white teens who live in rural settings. Also the fact that they knew each other may have made it more difficult for them to speak.
URI:	https://anrows.intersearch.com.au/anrowsjspui/handle/1/12953
ISSN:	0886-2605
Appears in Collections:	Journal Articles

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