Dating Violence among College Students: Nature, Extent and Consequences

Ramesh Adhikari, Tribhuvan University

Dating violence is an unexplored issue in Nepal. The objectives of this paper are to explore the nature, extent and consequences related to dating violence, and to examine potential underlying factors that contribute and perpetuate dating violence among college students in Nepal. Multivariate logistic regression was used for analysis on the self-administered questionnaire that was completed by 1276 college students in 2010. Nearly half reported being a victim of dating violence, with females reporting a higher incidence of victimization than males. Violence ranged in severity from unwanted physical touching to rape. Gender, education level, migration status, relationship with parents, and living arrangement had significant association with dating violence. Depression, lack of sexual desire, pain during intercourse and feeling of suicide were reported consequences of dating violence. High levels of dating violence and related negative consequences indicate a need for comprehensive programs to address the issue.