NCJ Number
183698
Journal
Violence Against Women Volume: 6 Issue: 5 Dated: May 2000 Pages: 470-494
Date Published
May 2000
Length
25 pages
Annotation
This article examines the prevalence of aggression inflicted and sustained in dating relationships for 171 low income African American youth.
Abstract
More women were victims of choking, attempted forced intercourse, and hurt feelings. As perpetrators, more women made threats, threw objects, and hit their partners. However, men perpetrated more serious sexual and psychological aggression, including forced breast fondling, attempted forced intercourse, and making a partner feel inferior and degrading her. Women victims of sexual aggression, when compared to nonvictims, expressed more agreement with adversarial sexual beliefs regarding male-female relationships. More than one-third of the participants endorsed antagonistic beliefs concerning black male-female relationships. Suggestions for intervention include culturally appropriate education by researchers and community activists; dissemination of information through community leaders, religious institutions and ethnic events; publication in black newspapers of statements concerning partner violence; working to empower young black women; and batterer treatment programs for young black men that acknowledge their oppression in the larger society while simultaneously holding them responsible for their abusive behavior. Tables, references