A sociological analysis of teens' experiences of dating violence

This research aims to reveal the views and experiences of teenagers who have just graduated from high school, about dating and dating violence, and to understand the similarities and differences in these experiences. In this respect, it is questioned how teenage girls and boys experience dating and dating violence, what are the similarities and differences in their views and experiences, and how gender roles are reflected in their relationships. The study was created with a phenomenological paradigm and feminist theory was adopted. In-depth interview, which is a popular data collection method in qualitative research, was used. The participants in this study consists of 5 teenage girls and 5 teenage boys who graduated from high school in June 2021 and are studying for Higher Education Institutions Examination (YKS). Based on the teenagers' statements, codes and themes were created regarding their views on dating, their romantic relationship experiences, their way of explaining dating violence, and their dating violence experiences. Teenagers experience their first dating relationships in high school and through these relationships they form a self-image, meet their emotional and physical intimacy needs, and find the opportunity to open up. Teenage girls and boys take a critical stance against gender discrimination in their discourses but cannot fully display this egalitarian attitude in their emotional relationships. In particular, teenage boys have a sexist view of sexual intimacy. While physical violence is not experienced in dating relationships of teenagers, psychological violence is experienced intensely. Teenagers recognize and experience dating violence, but they cannot classify what they experience as dating violence.