Dating Violence Among University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study from Eastern Turkey

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of violence experienced in dating relationships among

university students.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among girls at Atatürk University, a school with 18842 female students.

The study data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire, including demographic questions and

the Turkish version of the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS2).

Results: The mean (±SD) age of the students was 22.69±2.04 years. The CTS2 subscales showed negotiation in 135

(99.3%), psychological aggression in 128 (94.1%), physical assault in 120 (88.2%), sexual coercion in 26 (19.1%), and

injury in 51 cases (37.5%). The odds of physical assault violence victimization was higher among smokers than nonsmokers

(OR=5.57, 95% CI=1.18, 26.23; p=0.03). Besides, alcohol users had higher odds compared to students who had

never had a drink (OR=6.63, 95% CI=1.99, 22.08; p=0.002) or participants who had exposure to violence in childhood

compared to those who had not (OR=4.31, 1.21, 15.31; p=0.024).

Conclusion: University students who smoke, use alcohol, and are exposed to childhood violence are more likely to

report DV victimization. These risk patterns may serve as warning signs for the elevated risk for DV victimization and

would be useful in identifying cases which could benefit from targeted, preventive interventions.