Teen Dating Violence

Teen dating violence is controlling, abusive, and aggressive behavior in a romantic relationship.

It occurs in both heterosexual and homosexual relationships and can include any combination of verbal, emotional, physical, sexual abuse, and even financial abuse.

It may start as early as middle school when youth start dating for the first time. The dangerous effects of teen dating violence and sexual assault can significantly affect the rest of a teenager’s life if it is not prevented or stopped. Even after the violence has ended, victims are more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors, including binge drinking, cocaine use, suicide attempts, and eating disorders.

A few statistics & facts

Approximately 1 in 3 girls in the United States is a victim of physical, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner. (1)
Technology (Facebook, Twitter, blogging, text messaging, etc.) that tweens and teens use allows teen dating violence to increase in pervasiveness, but remain more hidden than ever.
Only 3% of students who experience dating violence tell an authority figure, while 60% tell a friend.
In Philadelphia, the 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that 17.3% of students reported that they were hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by their boyfriend or girlfriend in the past year, and 12% reported they were ever physically forced to have sexual intercourse when they did not want to (nationwide average was 9.8% and 7.4% respectively). (2)

(1) 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/Dating%20Violence%20Among%20Teens.pdf.

(2) MMWR June 4, 2010 / Vol. 59 / No. SS-5