Teen Dating Violence

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Teen Dating Violence

• YWCA of Greater Harrisburg
• Tina Nixon CEO

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Definition

• Teen dating violence is a pattern of actual or
  threatened acts of physical, sexual, and or
  emotional abuse perpetrated by an adolescent
  against a current or former dating partner.
• (National Resource on Domestic Violence, 2004)

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Video

• Video clips courtesy of Dating and Violence
  Should Never Be a Couple
• Developed by The US Department of Justice, Office
  of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
  and the American Bar Association

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Teen Dating Violence

• The National Advisory Committee concluded that
  "teen dating violence is a major public health
  and safety concern in America" (United States
  Department of Justice)

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Dating Violence Begins at a Young Age

• The National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline finds
  that 1 in 5 children age 11-14 say their friends
  are victims of dating violence, and nearly half
  of tweens are verbally abused.

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Teen Dating Violence

• Nearly 1 in 10 high school
• students have been physically
• harmed by a dating partner in
• just the last 12 months.
• (Center for Disease Control and the Preventions
  (CDCs) Youth Risk Behavior survey)

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Types of Abuse

• Physical abuse- includes pinching, hitting,
  slapping, biting, punching, shoving or forced
  sexual activity by a partner.
• Emotional/Psychological Abuse- monopolizing
  partners time, isolation, threats of suicide if
  partner leaves the relationship.
• Verbal abuse- degradation, put-downs, insults and
  threats.
• Sexual Abuse- unwanted sexual activity (e.g.
  unwanted kissing, fondling, hugging, genital
  contact and sex).
• (Teen Dating Violence- Statistics, National
  Resource Center on Domestic Violence, 2004)

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Statistics

• About 1 in 4 teens report verbal, physical,
  emotional or sexual abuse each year. (American
  Journal of Preventive Medicine, 1996)
• About 1 in 5 high school girls has been
  physically or sexually abused by a dating
  partner. (Journal of the American Medical
  Association, 2001)
• 1 in 3 teenagers reports knowing a friend who has
  been hit, punched, kicked, slapped choked, or
  otherwise physically hurt by his or her partner.
  (Teenage Research Unlimited, 2005)

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Statistics (cont.)

• Nearly 1 in 5 teenage girls who have been in a
  relationship said a boyfriend had threatened
  violence or self harm if presented with a
  break-up. (Department of Justice (US), Bureau of
  Justice Statistics, 2003)
• About 1 in 5 teens reports being a victim of
  emotional abuse.(Journal of Adolescent Health,
  1997)
• Almost 70 of young women who have been raped
  knew their rapist either as a boyfriend, friend
  or casual acquaintance. (Department of Justice
  (US), Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2003)

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Why do they stay?

• The reasons why teen stays in abusive
  relationships vary but may include the
  following..
• They lack experience or examples of healthy
  non-abusive relationships.
• They confuse jealousy with love.
• They may be experiencing embarrassment, low
  self-esteem or isolation from friends and family.
  
• They have developed a deep emotional attachment
  to the abuser.

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Teen Dating Violence

• Some of the effects of teen dating abuse can
  result in the following
• Physical injury
• Depression
• Suicide or attempted suicide
• Drug abuse
• Self harm
• Stress
• Teen Pregnancy
• Eating disorders
• Future patterns of violence in later
  relationships

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Teen Dating Violence

• New research has revealed that teens in dating
  relationships are being controlled, threatened
  and humiliated through cell phones and the
  internet.
• One in three teens say they are test messaged 10,
  20, 30 times or more an hour by a partner
  inquiring where they are, what they are doing and
  who theyre with.
• One in four teens in a relationship have been
  called names, harassed or put down by a partner
  through cell phones and texting.
• 57 percent of parents believe that computers and
  cell phones make abuse in teen dating
  relationships more likely to occur and 53 percent
  believe computers and cell phones make abuse
  easier to conceal.

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What can we do to help?

• There are several ways adults can assist teens in
  understanding the perils of dating violence. We
  can help teens by
• Educating them through prevention education
  programs that teach teens how to recognize
  behaviors that have a tendency to be precursors
  to violent behavior.
• Defining what a healthy relationship is.
• Assisting those individuals who have witnessed or
  experienced abuse.
• Collaborating with schools and community agencies
  to increase awareness.

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Final Thoughts

• In order to address the nations epidemic of
  Teen Dating Violence we must continue working
  together to provide outreach, education and
  prevention to keep our teens safe and stop abuse
  before it ever begins.