During all the history of humanity violence was the inherent part of the society. Beginning from the cradle of civilization there may be found numerous examples of violence. Violence has been existing as long as humanity exists and even in the modern world with the new level of humanization, the problem still demands a solution.
Apart from the various acts of cruelty, a special attention of the psychologists is given to the violence in adolescent relationships. It is the universal truth that a sound society demands a sound family and the attempts to investigate the reasons that cause violence in adolescence are of great importance for social science.
Different researchers use various approaches to the investigation of this problem. Thus, practically all of them are apt to think that the reasons of the violence in the adolescence may be found in the early childhood. In researching of this problem, special attention is given to the relations between males and females and the impact of violence on these relations. Though, according to the statistic date based on the results of various surveys, practically all researchers share one view that “although both males and females report being abused in relationships, abuse has greater impact on females than on males” (Cleveland, Herrera & Stuewing, 2003, p.325).
At the same time, it must be admitted that males also suffer from violence, though in a less degree. Clear understanding of the reasons of the dating violence among adolescents is of the vital importance. Cleveland, Herrera and Stuewing are sure that the repetitious cases of the abuse in adolescence continue with the development of relations and can persist for years (2003). Even after the marriage the major part of dating couples continue to experience violence episodes. Most of the women, who are abused by their husbands, confess that the cases of battering also have been taking places during the courtship. Thus, the investigation of violence in the adolescence is important for the future understanding of the family relations of the adults.
While defining the reasons of violence in the adolescence, many researchers give special attention to the background. It is suggested that potential violence is predetermined by social experience. The act of violence takes place when an individual, who has the potential aptitude for aggression, faces with the definite situational factors in the dating relationship. A person, even with the potential inclination for the aggression, may not resort to compulsion until the relationship between the couple complicates. The persons aptitude to violence is predetermined by many factors, such as education or upbringing. Sometimes the reason for a persons inclination to aggression may be the psychological trauma, obtained in the early childhood, or the cases of violence from the parents.
The data from researches indicates that the cases of dating violence become more frequent with the development of the seriousness in the relations between males and females. Within the involvement of the both parties into serious relations, their emotions are also strengthened. At the same time, according to the research conducted by OKeefe among the high school students, males are less susceptible to the impact of the serious relations in comparison with females. According to OKeeffe opinion (as cited in Cleveland, Herrera, & Stuewig, 2003) it may be explained by the fact that males are less tied to their female partners or percept their relations less serious.
The reasons that cause the acts of violence are different for males and females. The males aggression as usual is predetermined by the contextual factors, while aggression of females may be caused by definite situation. It may be illustrated by the research conducted by Cleveland, Herrera and Stuewingin who have made an attempt to investigate the male to female physical abuse in the adolescent. In their research they came to the conclusion that the factors of violence in the majority of cases vary depending on the gender of participants.
At the same time, according to the data of other researchers, both males and females in the conflict situation resort to force in equal measure (Capaldi & Crosbi, 1997). These researchers also assert that aggression of a male towards the partner is predetermined by his anti-social behavior, while the violence from the young woman is explained by her depression or her low self-esteem.
Another interesting research was proposed by the group of scientists who investigated the dependence of the violence level upon the socio-demographic factors (Halpern, Oslak, Young, Martin, & Kupper,2001). In their research they came to the conclusion that the aptitude for violence is also predetermined by such factors as nationality, education, gender, religious beliefs and the structure of the family.
Last time the problem of the violence in the society has been given much attention. It is possible to conclude that all researches concerning the given topic are of a great importance for the understanding of the nature of violence in adolescence. The aim of all the surveys and analyses is to prevent future generations from the severe acts of the violence. It is obvious that it is impossible to realize it in a full manner, but at least in a partial degree.
References
Capaldi, D., & Crosby, L. (1997). Observed and Reported Psychological and Physical Aggression in Young, Ay-Risk Couples. Oregon Social Learning Center, 6(2), 184-206. Web.
Cleveland, H., Herrera, V., & Stuewig, J.(2003). Abusive Males and Abused Females in Adolescent Relationships: Risk Factor Similarity and Dissimilarity and the Role of Relationship Seriousness. Plenum Publishing Corporation, 18(6), 325- 339. Web.
Halpern, C., Oslak, G.,Young, M., Martin S.,& Kupper, L. (2001). Partner Violence Among Adolescents in Opposite-Sex Romantic Relationships: Findings From theNational Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. American Journal of Public Health, 91(10),1679-1685. Web.