Foster youth and dating violence

This study surveyed 106 adolescents in foster or group care to attempt to understand how experiences in dating violence might be distinct from those reported in studies of adolescents in the general population. The participants were asked about their experiences as victims and perpetrators of abuse, their witnessing violence in the family of origin, their continued participation in an abusive dating relationship, and their desire for prevention and intervention services. Youth in foster and group care were not found to have higher levels of self-reported involvement in dating violence than youth in the general population but did have a greater tendency to remain in abusive relationships. There was a weak but positive association between witnessing past violence in the family and dating violence. Potential implications for service delivery and future research are discussed.