Girls' Perceptions of Violence and Prevention

Abstract

This research examines girls' perceptions of violence and its prevention. A purposive sample of 32 young women ages 12–18 who were incarcerated, affiliated with the juvenile justice system, or self-identified as living in disadvantaged neighborhoods participated in 1 of 4 focus groups. Recursive, iterative analysis yielded seven themes, including: violence is learned, violence is contagious, violence is unstoppable, violence is necessary to manage stress and conflict, violence is belonging, violence is connected to other crime, and maybe it can be stopped. These themes provide important insights into young women's thoughts on violence and may inform policies and programs as prevention strategies.

Acknowledgments

This study was funded via the Delaware Girls' Initiative by the Delaware Center for Justice.