Characteristics of Victims
Young women, teens, aged 12-18 who are victims of violence are more likely than older women to report that their offenders were acquaintances, friends, or intimate partners.
The likelihood of becoming a victim of dating violence is associated with having female peers who have been sexually victimized, lower church attendance, greater number of past dating partners, acceptance of dating violence, and personally having experienced a previous sexual assault.
Characteristics of Perpetrators
Studies have found the following to be associated with sexual assault perpetration:
the male having sexually aggressive peers;
heavy alcohol or drug use;
and the man's acceptance of dating violence, the male's assumption of key roles in dating such as initiating the date, being the driver, and paying dating expenses;
miscommunication about sex;
previous sexual intimacy with the victim;
interpersonal violence, traditional sex roles, adversarial attitudes about relationships, and rape myths.
Men who have a family history of observing or experiencing abuse are more likely to inflict abuse, violence, and sexual aggression. As the consumption of alcohol by either the victim or perpetrator increases, the rate of serious injuries associated with dating violence also increases.
