TEEN DATING VIOLENCE

 

 

 

 

Teen Dating Violence is a pattern of controlling behavior by one teenager over another teenager who are in a dating relationship. The behavior includes, but is not limited to, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse. Although 40% of teenagers in the United States know somebody that is in an abusive relationship, most parents do not recognize Teen Dating Violence as a significant issue

While there are many similarities to Adult Dating Violence there are also some differences. Teens are much more likely than adults to become isolated from their peers as the result of controlling behavior by their boyfriend / girlfriend. Also, for many teens the abusive relationship may be their first dating experience and have never had a "normal" dating experience with which to compare it.

U.S. Statistics of Dating Violence for Teens and Tweens

· 20% of tweens (children between the ages of 11 and 14) say their friends are victims of dating violence

· 40% of tweens in relationships know friends who are verbally abused

· 34% of teens that are sexually active by age 15 have been physically abused

· 20% of all teens in relationships have been physically abused

· 33% of all teens have been affected by Teen Dating Violence

· Teenagers are victimized by dating violence at a higher rate than adults

· One-third of all students have been in an abusive relationship by the time they graduate from college

· A research study in the July 2008 issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine shows that 44% of all students have been in an abusive relationship by the time they graduate from college, 22% of all males and 50% of all females.

· 30% of all murdered teenage girls are murdered by a current or former partner

Warning Signs of an Abusive Relationship

· History of legal or discipline problems

· Blames you for his/her anger

· Serious drug or alcohol use

· History of violent behavior

· Threatens others regularly

· Insults you or calls you names

· Trouble controlling feelings like anger

· Tells you what to wear, what to do or how to act

· Threatens or intimidates you in order to get their way

· Prevents you from spending time with your friends or family