Dating Violence Victimization Among Adolescent Girls in the American Rural South

Abstract

Research has shown that girls in rural contexts are more likely to experience dating violence victimization than peers in urban or suburban ones. Yet, little research has been carried out on rural adolescent girls in regard to the outcomes of such dating violence and the role of parenting. The current study tested the link between dating violence victimization (both general and sexual violence victimization) and internalizing problems (depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem), and whether maternal peer approval conditioned this relationship. Cross-sectional data were collected from 335 adolescent girls (M age = 15.77 years; SD = 1.12) in the American rural South. Results provided evidence that maternal peer approval moderated the relationships between general victimization and low self-esteem, sexual violence victimization and low self-esteem, as well as sexual violence victimization and depression. In addition, adolescent girls with higher levels of maternal peer approval were at greater risk for internalizing problems, following dating violence victimization. Findings provide paradoxical evidence in that high autonomy granting behaviors by parents, trusting daughters to make good decisions about romantic relationships, which might also mean less parental knowledge or monitoring, was associated with greater victimization and associated internalizing problems. Future studies need to replicate this finding so that the role of parental peer (dis)approval in the link between dating violence experiences and internalizing problems can be further tested.

Variations in Victimization: The Relationship between Community Types, Violence against Women and Reporting Behaviors

“…A review of the literature suggests that this group may be even more underserved than their adult counterparts (Finkelhor and Ormrod 2001;. Furthermore, studies have revealed a higher risk of victimization among rural adolescent girls than their urban counterparts (Martz et al 2016;Musu-Gillette et al 2018;Peek-Asa et al 2011;Liu et al 2021).…”

Psychosocial determinants of adolescents’ attitudes toward disclosing dating violence.

“…A lthough understanding the nature, risk factors and consequences of adolescent dating violence has become more complete and rigorous over the past decades, gaps remain in knowledge of violence disclosure and help-seeking, a crucial component to preventing further victimization and perpetration and minimizing harm. Research is scarce on whether and how disclosure of dating abuse evolves among developing adolescents, especially among youth in rural areas (Liu et al, 2021). Despite substantial theoretical justification, studies focusing on intentions to disclose relationship abuse rarely account for heterogeneity within adolescent populations, potentially obscuring important differential effects (cf.…”