Black Adolescent Females

Abstract

Violence remains a major health problem in the U. S. While teen males are often studied as the victims and perpetrators of violence, there is significant evidence that adolescent females are perpetrators as well as victims of violence; and that both groups are affected by the broader institutional sources of violence. Adolescent girls growing up in inner city neighborhoods are often victimized by exposure to violence, as well as their perceptions of a lack of sustained support from institutions regarded as protective, and nurturing. Survey data and information from focus groups provide insight into their exposure to violence, their fear of violence and coping strategies in neighborhoods and schools they perceive as unsafe.