familystudies.boisestate.edu

Equal Opportunity Aggression:
Girl Fights and Equal Opportunity Oppression?

The Glenbrook North powder puff football incident (Spring 2003) has become a touchstone for media and public attention to the problem of physical violence among girls and women. Social workers, teachers, parents, and school administrators are increasingly asking themselves-“Are girls getting more violent?”

The 70% increase in U.S. arrests for assaults by adolescent girls offers some support for the claim of increasing violence within this population. However, most recent literature and research on this topic has linked the use of physical violence solely to at-risk populations-e.g. low income and minority children and those parented by single mothers. In this workshop we explore the possibility that physical aggression is a symptom of changing gender roles, and that violence is becoming normative for females across class, race and ethnicity. A culture of increased aggression may be emerging in adolescent females as the meaning of being a good girl/woman is in flux.

In this interactive 90 minute workshop the presenters will provide a critical analysis of the emergent literature, research, and media coverage of adolescent female aggression. In addition, case vignettes and current intervention models will be presented.

Presenters:

Robin W. Allen, PhD, MSW

Associate Professor

Boise State University

School of Social Work

1910 University Dr, MS 1940

Boise, ID 83725-1940

rallen@boisestate.edu

208-426-4290/fax 206-426-4291

school social worker for 4 years in Champaign, IL

Virginia Husting

Assistant Professor