PREVENTING DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL VIOLENCE, AND STALKING IN HIGH SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT THE “WHOLE CHILD”

Oct 15, 2026

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Dating violence, sexual violence, and stalking are pervasive and common among high school students, frequently occurring between peers at school. The article distinguishes psychological and physical dating violence, harassment and serious sexual assault, and stalking behaviors that are repeated and induce fear. These experiences undermine the “whole child” across physical, social, emotional, and intellectual domains, and schools are urged to use evidence-based bystander strategies and supportive cultures to reduce violence.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages23

Reading Time58 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Violence as a school safety issue

Purpose and rationale

Experience of violence among high school students

Dating violence

Sexual violence

PREVENTING DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL VIOLENCE, AND STALKING IN HIGH SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT THE “WHOLE CHILD” Reiko Ozaki Northern Kentucky University Abstract Dating violence, sexual violence, and stalking are personal, pervasive, and common among high school students. These types of violence are often peer-perpetrated and occur at school. Dating violence includes psychological and physical attacks one utilizes against his or her date. Sexual violence includes harassment and more serious assault such as rape. Stalking involves unwanted and intrusive behaviors that are repeated and induce fear in the victim. The experiences of violence deeply impact the “whole child.” It is recommended that high school administrators promote a culture supportive of victims and intolerant of violence by using evidence-based bystander strategies to prevent violence. Keywords: dating violence, sexual violence, stalking, high school, violence prevention Creating a safe school is one of the top priorities for educational leaders. Research indicates that violent victimization is disproportionately seen in adolescents (Finkelhor, 2008; Hashima & Finkelhor, 1999; Young, Grey, & Boyd, 2009) includingthe serious acts of rape in which teens are significantly more vulnerable than adults (Finkelhor, 2008) . The experiences of violence that are personal and pervasive in nature, such as dating violence, sexual violence, and stalking must be considered school safety issues particularly since these types of violence are often peer-perpetrated and occur at school (Coker et al., 2000; Haynie et al, 2013, Turner, Finkelhor, Hamby, Shattuck, & Ormrod, 2011) . Further, the violence deeply impacts “the whole child – the physical, social, emotional and intellectual aspects of the child”(Ohio Department of Education [ODE], n.d.) . It is vital that high school administrators implement effective prevention measures with a thorough understanding of the violence and its impact on students. The purpose of this article is to inform educational leaders about dating violence, sexual violence, and stalking among high school students as well as their impact on students’well-being and academic outcomes. The article concludes with recommendations on violence prevention relevant to Ohio high school administrators. This article originates from the dissertation study that investigated the relationship between high school students’ violence victimization as well as perpetration and the students’ active bystander behaviors, which are actions that can prevent violence from happening in the first place (Ozaki, 2017) . This article aims to provide vital information to practitioners rather than reporting the findings ofthe research study. Experience of Violence among High School Students Dating Violence Dating violence is physical, sexual, psychological, and emotional abuse that one partner inflicts upon the other in a dating relationship (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2019) . Recent teen dating trends such as “hooking-up” and “friends with benefits” in which youth engage in sexual activities with no serious relationship expectations (Break the Cycle, n.d.; Kelly, 2012), may make it difficult for youth to see themselves as victims due to the non-traditional nature of their relationships. Traditional or not, perpetrators may hit, shove, intimidate, isolate, monitor their dates, and force sexual acts (Break the Cycle, 2017) . Some of these behaviors may occur electronically such as constant texting and posting the date’s nude photo without consent (CDC, 2019) . The perpetrators are often possessive of their partners and exhibit overt jealousy, using manipulation to keep partners to themselves. In the 2007 case of Johanna Orozco, an Ohio high school student, her high school boyfriend called her obsessively on the phone, accused her of flirting with other boys, and beat her until she said she would stay with him. These behaviors escalated to the near fatal sho

FAQs

What forms of violence does the article focus on in high schools?

The article focuses on dating violence, sexual violence, and stalking among high school students. It describes dating violence as psychological and physical abuse, sexual violence as harassment and serious assault, and stalking as unwanted repeated behaviors that induce fear.

Why does the article emphasize the impact on the “whole child”?

It explains that violence experiences are deeply harmful to the “whole child,” affecting physical, social, emotional, and intellectual aspects of students’ lives. This broader impact supports treating these issues as school safety priorities.

What prevention approach does the article recommend for high school administrators?

The article recommends promoting a school culture that is supportive of victims and intolerant of violence. It also calls for using evidence-based bystander strategies to prevent violence before it occurs.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Liam