A study of public high schools in Boston, MA found that dating violence is closely related to peer and sibling violence. The survey asked teens if they had been physically violent in the past 30 days and found some startling results:
- Of the students surveyed, 20% physically abused a dating partner, 41% were violent toward a peer and 31% reported physical aggression against a sibling.
- Teens who abused their dating partner had high rates of peer violence (75% for males and 59% for females) and sibling violence (56% for male and 50% for females).
- 12% of girls and 2% of boys only committed dating abuse and no other form of physical violence.
This study is an important reminder to count all types of violence as red flags, be the violence against a partner, friend, sibling or animal. Learn the other warning signs of abuse.