Dating abuse is defined as the physical, sexual, psychological, or emotional violence within a dating relationship, including stalking. It can occur in person or electronically and might occur between a current or former dating partner. It happens any time one person uses a pattern of manipulative or controlling behaviors to get and keep power and control over another person.
Dating abuse impacts teenagers and young adults of all backgrounds and identities. It’s important to understand what abuse looks like so you can recognize if it happens in your relationship. Let’s talk about how common abuse is in all communities, including yours. Look at these statistics:
- Roughly 1.5 million high school students in the U.S. acknowledge they have been intentionally hit or physically harmed in the past year by someone they are romantically involved with.
- 1 in 3 young people will be in an abusive or unhealthy relationship.
- Females between the ages of 16 and 24 are roughly 3 times more likely than the rest of the population to be abused by an intimate partner.
- Violent behavior often begins between 6th and 12th grade. 72% of 13- and 14-year-olds are “dating.”
- Only one-third of the teens who were involved in an abusive relationship ever told anyone about the abuse.
- Teens who have been abused hesitate to seek help because they don’t want to expose themselves or don’t know about laws surrounding domestic violence that could help them.
- 1 in 3 girls in the U.S. is a victim of physical, emotional, or verbal abuse from a dating partner. This far exceeds rates of other types of youth violence.
- Among female victims of intimate partner violence, 94% of those ages 16 to 19 and 70% of those ages 20 to 24 were victimized by a current or former boyfriend or girlfriend.
- 1 in 10 high school students has been purposefully hit, slapped, or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend.
Citations
1. The NO MORE Project . “Dating Abuse Statistics.” www.loveisrespect.org. Accessed April 22, 2014.
2. Liz Claiborne Inc and The Family Fund. “Teen Dating Abuse 2009 Key Topline Findings.” http://nomore.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/teen_dating_abuse_2009_key_topline_findings-1.pdf
3. The NO MORE Project . “Dating Abuse Statistics.” www.loveisrespect.org. Accessed April 22, 2014.
4. Hattersley Gray, Robin. “Dating Abuse Statistics.” School Safety. Accessed April 22, 2014.
5. Hattersley Gray, Robin. “Dating Abuse Statistics.” School Safety. Accessed April 22, 2014.
6. Hattersley Gray, Robin. “Dating Abuse Statistics.” School Safety. Accessed April 22, 2014.
7. Davis, Antoinette, MPH. 2008. Interpersonal and Physical Dating Violence among Teens. The National Council on Crime and Delinquency Focus. Available at http://www.nccd- crc.org/nccd/pubs/2008_focus_teen_dating_violence.pdf
8. Callie Marie Rennison, Ph.D., Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, “Intimate Partner Violence and Age of Victim, 1993-99” (2001). Available at: http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/ipva99.pdf
9. Grunbaum JA, Kann L, Kinchen S, et al. 2004. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—United States, 2003. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 53(SS02); 1-96. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5302a1.htm.
The Facts About Teen Dating Violence Quiz from Michigan Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Treatment.
The Facts About Teen Dating Violence
Do you know the facts about teen dating violence? Try this True and False quiz.
Instructions:
Read the statement and decide True or False before clicking the + symbol to see if you are correct!
Violence rarely happens in teenage dating relationships.
FALSE
Approximately one in five female high school students reports being physically and/or sexually abused by a dating partner. An estimated 25 percent to 35 percent of adolescent abusers reported that their violence served to intimidate, frighten or force the other person to give me something.
Girls who stay in abusive relationships have no one to blame but themselves.
FALSE
It is the person who is using the abusive behavior who is responsible for the abuse and for instilling fear in the teem victim. It is difficult for teens to leave abusive relationships for various reasons. Fear of the abuser’s threats is usually the #1 reason, but lack of social support or fear that nothing will happen to the abuser also are reasons. To end abuse in teen relationships, abusers much be held responsible for their behavior and possess a willingness to change.
Dating violence happens mostly to females.
TRUE
Young women between the ages of 16-24 are the most vulnerable to intimate partner violence. Approximately one in five female high school students reports being physically and/or sexually abused by a dating partner. Violence against women occurs in 20 percent of dating couples.
Dating violence is only physical violence.
FALSE
Dating violence is a pattern of assaultive and controlling behaviors that one person uses against another in order to gain or maintain power in the relationship. The abuser intentionally behaves in ways that cause fear, degradation and humiliation to control the other person. Forms of abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional and psychological.
Using alcohol or drugs is a cause of dating violence.
FALSE
If the police believe an assault has occurred based on the individuals’ statements, possible witnesses, demeanor of one or both parties or any property destruction, they can make a warrantless arrest of the abuser. The victim will not press charges against the abuser. The prosecutor, not the victim, has sole responsibility for deciding whether or not to press charges against the abuser.
Teenagers frequently will tell someone about dating violence when it happens to them.
FALSE
If teenagers disclose to anyone, it’s likely to be a friend or peer. Teenagers usually are reluctant to disclose they are a victim of abuse to adults.
Dating violence happens mostly to teenagers who provoke it.
FALSE
Abusers make decisions about when they will abuse, how frequently they’ll abuse, what the severity will be be, and where the abuse will take place. This decision making process has nothing to do with the teen victim’s demeanor or behavior.
If the police are called when dating violence is committed, the victim has to press charges for an arrest to occur.
FALSE
If the police believe an assault has occurred based on the individuals’ statements, possible witnesses, demeanor of one or both parties or any property destruction, they can make a warrantless arrest of the abuser. The victim will not press charges against the abuser. The prosecutor, not the victim, has sole responsibility for deciding whether or not to press charges against the abuser.
