FAC T S H E E T
TEEN DATING VIOLENCE
Most teenagers think that relationship violence only happens between adults or married people. Research has shown that teen dating
violence is a widespread problem. It can happen to you, your best friend or a classmate. Look for the warning signs and don’t be
afraid to ask questions.
Teen dating violence is a pattern of violent behavior that someone uses against a partner. The pattern begins with a stressor in the
violent person’s life, which triggers violent behavior towards the victim and is followed by apologies and minimizing the incident. It
can come in the form of emotional, physical or sexual abuse. It can happen to anyone!
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1 in 3 adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional, or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far
exceeds rates of other types of youth violence. (Love is Respect, 2012)
Emotional Abuse
If a partner insults, humiliates or swears at you, you are being emotionally abused. Emotional abuse can also come in the form of
controlling behavior, threats to you and trying to destroy your self-confidence.
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More than 1 in 3 teens report that their partner wanted to know where they were and who they were with all the time. (Love is
Not Abuse, 2012)
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse includes, but is not limited to, yelling, slapping, punching, kicking, pinching and hair pulling. It can also include the
use of weapons, such as a knife, gun or bottle.
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1 in 10 high school students has been purposefully hit, slapped, or physically hurt by a partner. (Love is Respect, 2012)
Sexual Violence
Sexual violence refers to sexual activity where consent is not obtained or given freely. Sexual violence is forcing someone to engage
in sexual activity. It is abusive to coerce or pressure someone to participate in unwanted sexual activity.
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Among high school students, 11% of girls and 4% of boys report having been forced to have sexual intercourse at some point in
their lives.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control,. Understanding Sexual Violence.
Teen dating violence is not just about being angry or about having a broken heart. Even if you have never been hurt physically, the
emotional and verbal abuse can be very painful and can lead to physical violence. The violence can become more intense and more
frequent over time.
It is very important to educate yourself and be aware of what is happening around you. The numbers are growing of teens, like you,
who have experienced and accepted abusive behavior in relationships.
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Almost half of teens have personally been victimized by controlling behaviors.
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Eighty one percent of parents believe teen dating violence is not an issue or admit they don’t know if it’s an issue.
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A comparison study in Intimate Partner Violence rates between those of teens and those of adults show that teens are at higher
risk of intimate partner abuse.
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In a study of gay, lesbian, and bisexual adolescents, youths involved in same-sex dating are just as likely to experience dating
violence as youths involved in opposite sex dating.
www.loveisrespect.com 2012 • U.S. Department of Justice • Bureau of Justice Statistics • National Center for Victims of Crime Health Resources and
Services Administration (HRSA) • Maternal and Child Health Bureau • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other studies
LAKE COUNTY STATE’S ATTORNEY’S OFFICE • 2012
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community outreach - Teen Dating Violence: Teen Resources
TEEN