Violence in the Context of Dating and Sex

A study of reported courtship violence using a representative sample of college students and a broad definition of relationships “at risk” found substantially higher rates of violence than those reported in earlier studies. Females reported using a wider array of violence than males, but males used more extreme forms of violence, had violence multiple times with multiple partners, and inflicted more sexual aggression. Students from high-income families, whites, and those “living together” reported more violence than others. Sexuality appears to be an important source of violence in courtship.