The Impact of the Gender Differences Controversy on Female-Specific Physical Dating Violence Prevention Programming

Clear evidence indicates that college women perpetrate physical dating violence at rates similar to or higher than men. However, programs focused on preventing physical dating violence perpetration by women are scarce. We propose that the misperception that physical perpetration is a male-dominated problem contributes to this lack of emphasis on preventing women's physical violence. We believe that failing to focus on programming that targets women's perpetration further contributes to the misperception that men are the primary perpetrators of violence and limits our prevention efforts. We suggest possible solutions to address this misperception and aid in the implementation of female-inclusive violence programming.
Author(s): Ryan C. Shorey[sup.1] , Catherine V. Strauss[sup.1] , Ellen Haynes[sup.1] , Tara L. Cornelius[sup.2] , Gregory L. Stuart[sup.3] Author Affiliations: (1) Department of Psychology, Ohio University, 239 Porter Hall, [...]