In the United States, 26% of women and 15% of men who were victims of contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime first experienced these forms of violence by a partner before the age of 18-year-old.
Teen Dating Violence (TDV) is when an intimate partner behaves in physical, sexual, psychological violence or stalking behaviors.
1 in every 11 females and 1 in every 14 male High School students report having experienced physical dating violence.
1 in every 8 females and 1 in every 26 male High School students report having experienced sexual dating violence.
- Physical Violence: hitting, kicking, pushing
- Sexual Violence: forcing a partner to take part in a sexual act
- Psychological Violence: Name-calling, insulting, threatening
- Stalking: repeatedly unwanted or threatening phone calls and messages and/or showing up unwanted.
Teens who are or have been victims of teen dating violence are more likely to:
- Experience symptoms of depression and anxiety
- Engage in unhealthy behaviors (Tabacco, alcohol, drugs)
- Exhibit antisocial behaviors like lying, theft, bullying, or hitting
- Think about or commit suicide (CDC, 2021)
How to prevent teen dating violence:
- Look for warning signs: if someone you know starts having multiple injuries, a decrease in motivation, drop in grades, or loss interest in activities could be a result of dating violence.
- Act on warning signs: if you notice warning signs, act on them. Speak to the individual about getting help through talking to an adult or seeking counsel. As well as using resources such as dating violence hotlines.
- Be supportive: it is important for the individual to feel loved and supported, especially when they have been in an abusive relationship.
- Educate: it is important for teens to be educated and understand what teen dating violence is and the impacts it can have on well-being. It is also important for teens to be educated on the resources available if they experience dating violence.
Teen violence does not just occur face to face. Teens can experience dating violence through internet services as well (Taylor et al., 2016)
If you or someone you know is experiencing teen dating violence please get help right away.
Love is Respect National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline
Call: 1-866-331-9474 or TTY 1-866-331-8453
National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE
Resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, March 5). Preventing teen dating violence |violence prevention|injury Center|CDC. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved January 17, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/intimatepartnerviolence/teendatingviolence/fastfact.html
Male survivor guide to help men find support and overcome the trauma caused by abuse or assault
https://www.innerbody.com/resource-guide-for-male-survivors-of-abuse-sexual-assault-and-trauma
Dating violence prevention. Dating Violence Prevention | Youth.gov. (n.d.). Retrieved January 19, 2022, from https://youth.gov/youth-topics/teen-dating-violence
Taylor, Maralyn, Kimani, Hannah, & Antoilyn. (2016, February 5). 5 ways to prevent teen dating violence. URGE. Retrieved January 19, 2022, from https://urge.org/5-ways to-prevent-teen-dating-violence/
