Survey: One in five urban students in Boston physically abuses dating partner

By Staff Writer

Nearly one in every five high school students has physically abused someone they were dating, a new study reveals.

Researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health surveyed more than 1,300 urban high school students in Boston in 2008. The results were published in the December issue of the journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

More than 41 percent admitted that they had physically hurt another kid on at least one occasion within a month of the survey, while 19 percent reported they they had physically abused their boyfriend, girlfriend or a sexual partner. Approximately 31 percent of respondents said they had abused their siblings.

Among those who admitted to engaging in dating violence, 10 percent reported kicking, hitting or choking a partner, while nearly 18 percent said they had shoved or slapped a partner.

Researchers, however, believe the results can help professionals detect dating violence because the same individuals who engaged in aggressive behavior with their siblings and peers were more likely to engage in violence against their partners.

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, violence prevention programs for younger adolescents should include efforts to reduce troublesome behavior in school and poor academic performance.