This study used data from the 2003 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Students provided information on a range of health risk behaviors.  Both female and male victims of forced sex were more likely than non-victims to have been physically abused by a dating partner and to have considered or attempted suicide in the previous 12 months. Female and male victims were more likely to have engaged in recent unhealthy eating behaviors and substance abuse.  Because the survey asked about only one type of sexual violence (forced intercourse), it is likely that the rates of sexual victimization were higher than reported in the study. The researchers recommend increasing both primary and secondary prevention efforts to reduce the harm of sexual violence.

Data was collected in 2004 from 1,653 students from a racially and ethnically diverse high-risk high school.  A survey was administered to measure dating violence, same-sex violence, and suicidal behavior. A 5 cluster method was used to identify groups of individuals with patterns of co-occurring traits or behaviors.  The clusters were Low Violence, Peer Context, Dating Context, Psychological Abuse, and High Violence. Findings suggested that adolescents involved in general violence may be involved in dating and same-sex peer violence and youth that report the highest levels of interpersonal violence are at greater risk for suicidal behaviors.

Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health was used to examine mediating mechanisms and predictors that may link childhood experiences of violence or neglect to early adulthood sexually coercive behaviors with romantic partners. Predictive factors identified from the Confluence Model of sexual aggression included: impersonal sexual attitudes and beliefs and alcohol use and delinquency. Those with a history of childhood victimization comprised less than 30 percent of the sample, yet accounted for 45 percent of those reporting coercive behaviors, however, 55 percent of those who reported coercive behaviors did not report any childhood abuse experiences.  Results indicated that physical and sexual abuse was significantly associated with sexually coercive behavior in adulthood and that childhood sexual victimization was mediated by early sexual initiation and adolescent delinquent behavior.  Implications for practice included: prevention efforts should target victims of childhood abuse, sexual violence prevention content should be included in programs aimed at reducing violence and delinquency among adolescents, and multifactated prevention approaches are needed.

This article summarized types of “cyberviolence” (online bullying and other forms of exploitation). The ability to send messages anonymously and instantly through text messaging or email has created a new set of potential benefits and dangers for young people. Online culture evolves rapidly and can vary dramatically by age group. Adults who are not as technologically savvy as youth may not be aware of bullying and other damaging online behavior and thus not able to protect young people from online dangers.

Several projects working to prevent or mitigate victimization are presented. The author recommended that research be done to examine the effects of online socializing on adolescent development, and how the Internet continues to change patterns of communication. She also recommended training for mental health practitioners who work with youth to recognize signs of online victimization.

Researchers looked at data from Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Surveys conducted in 1999, 2001, and 2003 to identify associations between immigrant status, acculturation, and sexual assault among adolescent girls (N = 5,919). Fifteen percent of girls in the sample had experienced sexual violence (defined as “sexual contact against your will”). Immigrant girls had twice the risk for recurrent sexual violence compared with non-immigrant girls. Compared with the total sample (including other immigrants), immigrant girls aged 15 or younger and Black adolescent immigrant girls were at increased risk for recurrent sexual assault. Although researchers found significant sexual violence risks for all sexually active girls, sexually active immigrant Hispanic girls were at greater risk compared with nonimmigrant sexually active Hispanic girls. Recommendations for further studies included a break down of ethnic identification and country of origin (this study collapsed both); exploring the relationship of the perpetrators and victims; and separating and quantifying measures of consensual and non-consensual sexual activity.

The authors review national prevalence rates of youth victimization, including: sexual, emotional or physical abuse; witnessing domestic or community violence; property crime; and excessive punishment. They note gender and race/ethnicity differences in prevalence rates as well as mental health effects. Specific recommendations for assessing risk and resiliency factors as well as screening for victimization in clinical settings are given. The authors discuss the importance of targeted interventions for specific groups, and urge adoption of an ecological model. Finally, the authors discuss how public and organizational policies can help decrease the impact of victimization and increase the availability of supportive services for youth and their families.

Sexual bullying is a conceptual term associated with young adolescents to define an overlap between bullying, dating violence and sexual harassment.  It is used to describe unhealthy teasing patterns that occur when youth in their middle school years begin to notice the opposite sex. The review article contains information regarding characteristics of bullies, victims, and bully-victims (has experiences as both bully and victim), school and family factors, and gender differences in forms of bullying.  Bullying behavior occur most frequently on the playground and in the classroom and bullies began dyadic dating 1-1 ½ years earlier than non-bullies. The most prevalent forms of bullying included: being kicked or hit, called names, being threatened or excluded, having belongings violated, or subject to racial slurs. Negative characteristics of bullies may make it difficult to learn about healthy relationship formation which may extend into romantic relationships.  If behaviors such as sexual bullying can be identified early, intervening may prevent deviant behavior patterns and dating violence.

This exploratory study examined Mexican-American high school students’ experiences with and attitudes towards dating violence and the relationship they may have with acculturation and acculturative stress. Eighty-two students from a large urban area located near the US and Mexican border participated in the study.  Results indicated that those that were medium acculturated, compared to low and high levels, reported less tolerant attitudes towards male dating violence (psychological, physical, sexual) and female dating violence (psychological and sexual).  Acculturation was measured by language use and preference.  Higher levels of acculturative stressors were related to more tolerant attitudes and higher rates of perpetration of dating violence.  The results may be helpful in designing dating violence intervention programs for Mexican immigrant teens that may include information about the process of acculturation, social problem solving, and stress management skills for acculturative stressors.

This cross-sectional study examined correlates of physical dating violence among 6,528 adolescent males.  Data was obtained from the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS).  Physical dating violence was reported among 10% of the respondents and prevalence estimates increased with school grade.  Male youth who reported being the victim of physical violence by a boyfriend or girlfriend over one year were more likely to report emotional distress, violence-related behaviors, substance use, and risky sexual behaviors.  Hispanic and Black adolescents reported higher prevalence of physical violence compared to White adolescents.  Being a victim of physical dating violence was greater for males who reported sad or hopeless feelings, engaged in physical fights, carried a gun, and participated in risky sexual behaviors.

This study sought to determine how gender and sexual abuse history influence cognitive-perceptual and behavioral factors associated with the sexual health practices of homeless adolescents. The investigators conducted a secondary analysis of data collected for a study of sexual health practices of homeless adolescents, using a sample of 414 participants. They found that females reporting a history of sexual abuse had a shorter future time perspective that females who did not report abuse, indicating a reduced belief that the future has a structure, can be controlled and is predictable. Males who did not report a history of sexual abuse had higher perceived health status than abused females, and were more assertive communicators than abused males.

This article describes ethnographic interviews with ten young, homeless men who have sex with men in New York City. It describes the "street capital" these men have accumulated as they have participated in the street economy as sex workers, and the "street competencies" these men have learned while surviving on the street. The article argues that these men began to accumulate "street capital" at an early age through experiences in various institutions, including their family, foster care, schools, hospitals, and jails. Combined with homelessness, different types of street capital combined with street competencies to result in street careers as sex workers participating in the street economy.

The first type is universal skill training with youth, for which the article provides an analysis of several programs using universal skill training. Each program description offers and a summary of its strengths and weaknesses. Such programmatic analysis is also provided for the second intervention type, which is the use of universal ecological based strategies in interventions. Such interventions are designed to change cultural practice in cultural networks.

A national telephone survey of 1,500 youth between ages 10-17 was conducted in 2005. The survey examined online sexual solicitation and harassment.  Youth were divided into 3 categories; those who kept an online journal (bloggers), those who interacted with people known in person (interactors), and those who interacted with people they met online (interactors).   The findings suggested that it is the actual interaction youth conduct with people they meet online that increases the likelihood of solicitation that may lead to sexual victimization.  Youth who were interactors were 2 times more likely to report sexual solicitation regardless if they were bloggers.  Bloggers who were not interactors were not found to have an increased risk of solicitation.  All youth who were bloggers and/or interactors were found to have an increased risk for harassment.

Youth in three Brooklyn, NY schools completed a survey three times: in eighth grade, in high school, and as young adults (age 19-20) (N=977). They were asked about interpersonal violence experienced and perpetrated in school, and about domestic violence experienced or witnessed in the home. Demographic information was collected to see if there was a relationship between violence and gender, race/ethnicity, which parent(s) were living in the home, religious service attendance, school performance, substance use, and age at sexual initiation. For young adult females, being a victim of intimate violence was associated with witnessing or experiencing physical aggression in the home as a child and with substance abuse, and was not associated with early aggression or any other characteristics. Perpetrating partner violence was associated with early aggression or with witnessing/experiencing violence as a child. Females who were witnesses or victims of domestic aggression as children were 2-3 times as likely to report perpetration. Among young men, exposure to domestic physical violence as a child, early aggression and early sexual initiation were associated with perpetrating and experiencing partner violence. No other demographic characteristics were related to partner violence. For both males and females, violence in the home was the factor most strongly correlated with early aggression as well as perpetrating and being a victim of partner violence.

A group of predominately Hispanic seventh and eighth grade students (n=89) were read four dating scenarios and asked questions about the protagonist’s perception of what the behavior meant and how the protagonist should respond to the behavior. They chose from a set of closed responses which the researchers coded as aggressive or non-aggressive. Although most students thought that the protagonist would not perceive the behavior aggressively (63-76%), most thought that the protagonist should respond aggressively (64-82%). More males than females thought that the response should be aggressive. To develop the dating scenarios and responses, the authors used focus groups made up of youth from the same population as those to whom the survey was given. They recommend use of this method to ensure that interventions target diverse groups appropriately.

Relational aggression can be defined as an attempt to inflict harm on another person through manipulation or by damaging other social relationships by indirect or covert means (e.g., gossiping, lies, betrayal, isolation). It can occur in peer relationships as well as intimate relationships. This study looked at the association between experiencing relational aggression in best friend relationships and peer groups during adolescence and perpetrating or being a victim of relational aggression in later romantic relationships. Observational and written data was collected from a group of 15-year-olds (n=97) and their best friends; in the second wave of data collection three years later, target youth and their romantic partners completed written questionnaires. Youth were more likely to exhibit relational aggression in future romantic relationships if their best friends and peer groups used pressuring behaviors. Those who had experienced peer pressure from their social groups were also more likely to report feeling victimized by relational aggression in later romantic relationships. Higher levels of alcohol use and depression were reported among youth in romantic relationships characterized by relational aggression.

In 2004, 4,131 students from a high-risk school district were assessed on dating and peer physical violence and psychological aggression.  The objective of the study was to determine if boys’ and girls’ experiences of interpersonal violence differ by gender and grade level.  Students completed an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire that asked about dating and same-sex peer violence victimization that occurred in the past 12 months.  Results showed that several sex differences do occur in victimization and perpetration of physical violence in both relationship contexts. Females reported a higher incidence of reported physical violence perpetration within a dating context and boys reported more physical violence in same-sex peer relationships.  Boys were more likely to inflict injury in both types of relationships.  Experiences of interpersonal violence for boys and girls varied by age.

The purpose of the pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility of doing a full-scale evaluation of the effectiveness of Beyond Blame, an 8 lesson curriculum that addressed youth violence. In 2005, 3 middle schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District participated in the intervention and 1 school was the control. A majority of the students were Hispanic (61.8%). Results indicated that intervention group increased knowledge of media violence but no significant changes were documented in attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs. Concerns about the literacy level of curriculum were reported.

Data from the Second Youth Internet Survey in 2005 examined youth’s experiences with online harassment, unwanted sexual solicitation, and unwanted exposure to sexual material. Participants included 1,500 youth between the ages of 10 to 17 and caregivers in each household. High-risk youth (those who reported experiencing sexual or physical abuse or high parent conflict in past year) differed from other youth by age, race/ethnicity, and use of Internet on cell phones. They talked with friends more online, engaged in aggressive online acts, and received aggressive sexual solicitations. Youth that reported receiving aggressive sexual solicitation were 2.5 times as likely to have experienced physical abuse, sexual abuse, or high parent conflict.  Targeted prevention efforts are needed with high-risk youth. Professionals who work with high-risk youth should assess youth who have experienced maltreatment offline for online victimization.

This article reviews major research findings to understand the context and process of why an adolescent chooses to use violence or becomes the target of violence in dating relationships. Using the social ecological model as its foundation, authors discuss a new person centered model: Gendered Adolescent Interpersonal Aggression (GAIA).  Support for the model is based on the idea that a young person’s sense of self is influenced by adolescent friendships, romantic relationships, family, and other social institutions.  Two additions to the social ecological model are suggested: gender and identity.  Gender should be considered at each level of the social ecological model. Identity is considered a meta-construct and involves interactions at all levels. 

This article summarizes current research on online sexual victimization and compares it to media accounts. The authors identify the known characteristics of online crimes, victims, and offenders, using data from the nationally representative Youth Internet Safety Surveys (YISS) and the National Juvenile Online Victimization Study (N-JOV). The YISS studies surveyed Internet users aged 10-17, and the N-JOV study collected information from law enforcement agencies on Internet-related sex crimes with underage victims.

The authors note that only 5% of crimes from the N-JOV study involved the use of force, and none involved children under the age of 12. They suggest that the emotional immaturity and strong sexual feelings of young adolescents may lead them to develop romantic attachments to people they meet online. The authors point out that traditional therapeutic treatment that emphasizes recovery from abuse may not be appropriate for youth who do not identify as victims, and that new models need to be developed. They recommend that prevention efforts with adolescents be targeted, age-appropriate, and include frank discussions of sexuality and the hazards of relationships with older people. Finally, they caution that the dynamic and evolving sphere of electronic communication, including text messaging and new online technologies, make continuing research into monitoring online environments essential to prevent victimization.

The purpose of this study was to determine if an interactive curriculum that integrated dating violence prevention with lessons on healthy relationships, sexual health, and substance use reduced PDV 2.5 years later among 1, 722 students in Ontario, Canada. The secondary purpose of the study was to reduce risk behaviors of peer violence, substance use, and condom use. In 2004, schools were randomly assigned to intervention or control groups and the program was implemented among 9th grade students. Findings indicated: by the end of 11th grade PDV increased for all students from approximately 1% to 8%, PDV was higher for students in control group (9%) than the intervention group (7%), the effect of the intervention was different between boys and girls. No significant differences between the groups were reported for physical peer violence, substance use, or condom use. Authors suggested that methods developed for single-focused interventions can be combined from a core relationship perspective and teachers with training can implement evidenced-based prevention programs.

A nationally representative sample of 3, 614 adolescents ranging from 12-17 years old were used to examine risk and protective factors associated with dating violence, with emphasis on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive episode (MDE) due to other traumatic events and recent life stressors.  Findings suggested that dating violence is associated with PTSD and MDE diagnosis.  Individuals who experienced partner violence were four times as likely to be diagnosed with PTSD and MDE.  Authors suggested that the findings may be useful to help implement screenings for traumatic experiences among children.  Screenings may be used as tool to reduce dating violence by identifying individuals that may have a greater need for improved anger management and coping skills.

In a review of three recent studies, the authors estimated national prevalence of online victimization of youth at 13% for sexual solicitation; 34% for exposure to unwanted sexual material; and 9% for any type of harassment. The majority of incidents was not distressing and was not reported to adults. Risk factors for online victimization included older age (youth 14-17 were at higher risk than younger children) and gender (girls were more likely to experience sexual solicitation or harassment than boys). In one study, 60% of youth gave out personal information in an online questionnaire or form. About 45% gave that information to someone they had met online. Possible prevention strategies include frank discussion by adults about Internet victimization so that youth are better equipped to avoid it and deal with it if it happens. The authors recommended making youth aware of the possible consequences of sharing personal information online. Adults can also prepare youth to take action if they are victimized: removing themselves from the situation; changing screen name; and reporting the incident to prevent others from being victimized.