Invisible Peril : The Problem of Teen Dating Violence

New York, Bern, Berlin, Bruxelles, Frankfurt/M., Oxford, Wien. Invisible - because it does not command the attention of the media as do school shootings, gang warfare, or date rape - the violence that teenage women experience while dating includes emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Using survey and interview data from approximately five hundred female high school juniors, this book measures the incidence of dating violence among teenage females. The research shows that many have been or are currently involved in abusive relationships with their boyfriends, and many adolescent women are confused about what constitutes normal and healthy dating behaviors. Unlike other books, Teen Dating Violence examines the needs of minors and also provides checklists of abuser characteristics.

Susan M. Sanders is Director of the Center for Religion and Public Discourse and Associate Professor of History and Political Science at Saint Xavier University in Chicago.