Brown, Rihanna saga highlights trend of abusive relationships among the young

'He cheated." "She gave him herpes." "He just attacked." "She attacked first."

More than a week after singer Chris Brown was arrested for allegedly assaulting girlfriend and singer Rihanna, the buzz continues. It may not have been his first brush with violence -- or hers.

Bloggers and other celebrities took sides. People feel sorry for the fresh-faced Brown, who lost his "Got Milk?" and Wrigley's advertisements in the wake of his arrest. Kanye West sounded like he was taking up for Rihanna on Ryan Seacrest's radio show Tuesday, saying, "I don't care how famous she is, or even if she worked at McDonald's, that should have never happened. It should have never come to that place."

Nobody is likely to emerge a winner in this fight. The Feb. 8 incident left Brown having to post $50,000 bail; if convicted, the 19-year-old faces prison time on felony charges of making criminal threats. Rihanna (Robyn Fenty), 20, reportedly suffered a bloodied nose, a cut lip, bruises and bites. Their careers may be damaged; at the very least, both are likely to be encased in he said/she said for months.

No matter who did and said what, sociologists and psychologists say it's another sad example of the violence perpetuated among young people in American society.

"This is what young boys and young girls go through daily," says Carl Taylor, a Michigan State University professor of sociology, who researches youth culture, violence and gangs. Coincidentally, about the time he was making that statement on Thursday, Detroit and Highland Park police were breaking up several fights at Highland Park High School that spilled out of the school onto Woodward Avenue, and led to the arrest of three parents. The incident occurred after a Valentine's Day dance at the school .

"Boys beat down girls. Girls beat down boys and each other. The only reason people are talking about this beat-down is because they are celebrities," he says.

Taylor believes the way young people are socialized is the definitive factor.

"Young men are raised to believe that a woman is property, and you have the right to check her and do whatever you want," he explains. "That's reinforced by the media. You've got to step up and be a man. That socialization reinforces what we are seeing with this particular couple. Young men take matters in their own hands; they abuse their girlfriends and their wives."