Questionnaires were distributed to 635 students between the ages of 13 and 18 in 23 gym classes in a large midwestern high school. The measure of physical dating violence was a modified Conflict Tactics Scale. The questionnaire asked students to report on the frequencies of any past dating violence and in their most recent or current dating relationship. The survey also solicited information on the context of the occurrence of abusive acts in the current or most recent dating relationship. Both boys and girls reported experiencing violence in their dating relationships, and significant differences were found in the severity of violence experienced and in the seriousness of the consequences stemming from the abuse. Overall, the girls' reactions to the incidents of dating violence show that they are perceived as serious assaults that have damaging physical and psychological effects. On the other hand, boys were much more likely to respond in ways that indicated the incidents were not perceived as threatening or damaging. For girls the abuse was more likely to worsen or end the relationship. Boys perceived less negative impact of the abuse on their relationship and were more likely to report that the relationship stayed the same or improved as a result of their partners' use of physical force. School systems should create an environment of dating-violence prevention by setting policies, developing intervention plans, and encouraging student input through classroom participation and workshops. 3 tables