Gender Differences in Courtship Violence Victimization

Abstract

Using data from a seven college sample of students, gender differences in three dimensions of courtship violence victimization (acts, meanings, and events) are explored. Females were principle victims by both male and female report. Rates of commission of acts and initiation of violence were similar across gender, although females sustained more higher level violence. Male reports of motives were largely culpability reducing. Females reported many more sexual assaults, and physical and emotional injury than males. Males did not perceive families as sustaining greater harm. Implications of the results for practitioners, particularly for understanding batterer denial are discussed.