The Prevalence of Relationship Violence Among College Students: Men and Women's Role in Partner Violence

The purpose of this research is to find more definitive answers about relationship violence as it occurs among dating couples. More specifically, this research seeks to understand how relationship violence may be different for a unique population of dating couples: college students. This study uses an online survey tool administered to 30 college students at a large southern university to gather data on the topic. The survey was created to look specifically at the rate at which college students engage in various levels relationship violence, including both verbal and physical aggression, and to compare the rates of aggression between college males and females. Aggression was measured by the Conflict Tactics Scale, or the CTS2. The results of this research found that over 30% of college dating couples have experienced an aggressive relationship. In these relationships, most of the aggression was characterized by minor physical aggression and verbal aggression, and not severe violence. Males and females participated in the former two levels of aggression at similar rates. The data findings reflect gender symmetry for multiple dependent variables