私醫聯招 英文歷屆試題｜第 495 題

As adolescents begin to explore romantic relationships and sex, many teens experience violence in dating, which can include physical violence (e.g., being hit or kicked), emotional violence (e.g., threats or bullying designed to harm self-worth), and sexual violence (being forced to engage in sexual activity against one’s will). Roughly 25% of adolescents report these experiences and these youths often do not do well in school and suffer from mental health and behavioral problems.

Of the various kinds of dating violence, scientists list some possible factors that place adolescents at risk for sexual violence. One of the most important factors is alcohol use: Heavy drinking usually impairs a female’s ability to send a clear message regarding her intentions. Females are also more at risk when they adhere to more traditional gender stereotypes, because their view of the female gender role includes being relatively submissive to a male’s desires.

What factors make teenage boys likely to commit acts of violence? One contributing factor is a boy’s home life: Boys are more at risk when they were abused as children or witnessed domestic violence, because this leads them to believe that violence is a normal part of romantic relationships.

According to a study, the level of dating violence is surprisingly high in boys who have just begun to date. At the start of high school, about one boy in seven admits to having perpetrated violence, which underscores the importance of effective prevention programs. One effective program for reducing sexual violence is “Safe Dates.” Targeted for middle- and high-school students, the program features a brief play, a poster contest, and nine hour-long interactive sessions devoted to topics such as how to overcome gender stereotypes and how to prevent sexual assaults. Teens who participate in “Safe Dates” are less likely to be victims of sexual violence and are less likely to perpetrate it.