Violence in the Family of Origin: Impact on Student Perpetration of Peer Violence.

Larry Bennett
Jane Addams College of Social Work
University of Illinois at Chicago
1040  W. Harrison, M/C 309
Chicago IL 60607-7134
USA
Phone: 312-996-4577
FAX: 312-996-2770
Email: lwbenn@uic.edu
 
Susan Fineran
School of Social Work
University of Southern Maine
96 Falmouth Street
Portland ME 04104-9300
USA
Phone: 207-228-8533
FAX: 207-780-4902
Email: sfineran@usm.maine.edu
 
Purpose:This study examines student victims and perpetrators of sexual harassment, sexual assault, community violence, and dating violence in a secondary public school in Johannesburg, South Africa. Study goals are to 1) explore the relationship between being a victim of peer violence and sexual harassment and a perpetrator of peer violence and sexual harassment, 2) describe family of origin violence experienced by students, 3) examine how violence in the family of origin impacts perpetration and victimization of peer violence and peer sexual harassment in the present, and 4) identify correlates of perpetrating peer violence.

Method:Questionnaires were administered to a non-probability sample of approximately 261 South African secondary students age 14-18. Key variables include four family of origin aggression variables and four peer aggression variables

Results:Preliminary results show 37% of the students report a history of violence in their family.  This is distinct from frequent family conflict, which was reported by 13% of the students.  The relationship between frequent conflict and family violence was significant (Chi Square = 20.9. df=1, N=261, p<.001). Forty percent of the boys report perpetrating community violence and when they have been the victim or witness of violence in the family, the incidence of perpetrating community violence increases to 62%. Results for girls showed that while less effected by family violence or family conflict, girls’ aggression toward peers seemed to increase when they are negatively affected by the family violence and when they themselves are sexually harassed by their family members.

Implications:Family of origin violence is one of several risk factors which has been found consistent across studies of male perpetrators. In this study aggression in the family of origin has a far greater adverse effect on the aggression of South African girls than boys.