Research Watch: Dating Violence and Foster Care: Foster Youth and Dating Violence

Melissa Jonson-Reid and Lisa Bivens, Washington University

Journal of Interpersonal Violence,
Vol. 14, No. 12, December 1999, pgs. 1249-1262

Available for $15 from Journal of Interpersonal Violence, (805) 499-0721, or at www.sagepub.com,
or free from Jonson-Reid at jonsonrd@awbmail.wustl.edu.

Many children in foster care have experienced violence, and there is good reason to be concerned that they may become victims or perpetrators of violence in the future. A recent study suggests that teenagers in foster care may be at greater risk for violence in their dating relationships.

Youth who were participating in a one-time presentation on dating violence that was part of an Independent Living Skills program in three California counties were asked to complete a voluntary survey. Nine of every 10 agreed, approximately two-thirds of whom were juniors or seniors.

Of the 85 teens who had started dating, almost half (48 percent) reported involvement in some type of dating violence, either as a victim or perpetrator. Even more, 60 percent, reported witnessing physical, sexual or verbal violence in their family of origin. Surprisingly, 42 percent of those who experienced dating violence were both a victim and a perpetrator. Girls were more likely than boys to report being victims (37 percent vs 11 percent), but equally likely to report inflicting harm (16 percent vs 15 percent).

Dating violence included physical violence, sexual violence, threats or verbal abuse. Most of the teenagers who had been victims of violence stated that they did not report it to an adult, but 70 percent of the victims and 60 percent of the perpetrators reported it to someone.

Statistical analyses were used to determine the traits that predicted whether a teen would be a victim of violence. Being a girl, being a perpetrator and having more than three dating partners predicted being a victim. Witnessing violence was not a statistically significant predictor.

More than 80 percent of those in violent relationships (as defined in this study) continued to date the same person after the violence occurred. The proportion was even higher, 91 percent, for those whose dating violence was physical (rather than sexual or verbal). Violence recurred in more than 60 percent of those cases.

Since only 13 teens admitted harming a date physically or forcing them to perform sexual acts, there were too few to determine statistically significant predictors.

The teens who participated in this program are probably not typical of all teens in foster care, since they signed up to attend a presentation on dating violence. The researchers point out that the proportion reporting violence in their dating relationships, although high, is similar to other studies on teenagers. However, the proportion staying in an abusive relationship was higher than those reported in studies of a general population of teenagers, but similar to a study of teens from abusive homes.

The youth had sought out help by attending the talk, and when asked if they wanted more information or wanted to participate in a more intensive program to learn how to avoid violent relationships, more than two-thirds said yes to each. The most important message for youth workers may be that there are teenagers who want help with these problems, and youth workers need to find ways to provide that help.

Zuckerman, Diana. "Dating Violence and Foster Care." Research Watch review of "Foster Youth and Dating Violence." Youth Today, March 2000, p. 22 - 23.

©2000 Youth Today. Reprinted with permission from Youth Today. All rights reserved.