Teen Dating Violence: What You Need to Know

Written by Makeela Wells

​Teen dating violence is an emerging concern that has been brought to the forefront of issues that teens face today. Teen dating violence has both individual and public health concerns and can impact an individual’s health throughout life (Center for Disease Control, 2016). Many teens fail to report teen dating violence due to the fear of embarrassment or shame (Payne, Ward, Miller, & Vasquez, 2013). Additionally, teens may be fearful about telling family and friends that they are dealing with such a traumatic experience. The goal of this blog post is to educate both adolescents and parents about what teen dating violence is, the signs and symptoms that are associated with teen dating violence, and ways to prevent teen dating violence.

What is teen dating violence?

​Teen dating violence is a type of intimate partner violence that occurs between two adolescents who are in a close or “romantic” relationship. It can occur in various situations, including face-to-face, electronically (via computer), or through texts and phone calls (Center for Disease Control, 2016). The violence that occurs within this relationship can be physical, emotional, and/or sexual. Physical violence includes hitting, shoving or slapping a dating partner. Emotional violence occurs when a partner threatens his or her partner’s self-worth through the use of name calling, shaming, or embarrassment. Sexual violence that is associated with teen dating violence includes forcing one’s partner to engage in sexual activities or engaging in sexual activities without a partner’s consent (Payne et al., 2013). 

Both male and female adolescents can be victims of teen dating violence. Research shows that roughly 9% of high school students have been physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend (Center for Disease Control, 2016). Several risk factors have been identified that may exacerbate one’s likelihood of being a victim of teen dating violence. Risk factors include the belief that dating violence is acceptable or normal. Teens who suffer from depression, anxiety, and/or substance use are more susceptible to experiencing dating violence (Center for Disease Control, 2016). Early sexual activity and having more than one sexual partner increases the likelihood of teens experiencing dating violence. Lastly, experiencing or witnessing violence in the home and having a friend who is experiencing or has experienced dating violence increases the likelihood of being a victim of teen dating violence (Center for ​Disease Control, 2016).

​Teen dating violence can affect one’s adult years, as well. Twenty-two percent of adult women and 15% of adult men report first experiencing dating violence between the ages of 11 and 17 (Center for Disease Control, 2016). Victims of teen dating violence have a higher risk of victimization during their college and adult years. Additionally, victims of teen dating violence are more likely to engage in risky behaviors as adults, such as alcohol and/or drug use, eating disorders, and dating violence.

Signs of Teen Dating Violence

Warning signs have been identified that determine whether a teen is a victim of dating violence (Payne et al., 2013). These include:

• Fear of upsetting one’s dating partner
• Excuses or apologizes for partner’s aggressive behavior
• Excessive calls, e-mails, and texts from dating partner
• Displays of distress or anxiety
• Unexplained bruises, marks, or injuries
• Poor academic performance or conduct/behavioral problems
• Spending most of one’s time with dating partner and less time with others

Preventing Teen Dating Violence

How can teen dating violence be prevented? The first step is to provide education about and make both parents and teens aware of the prevalence of teen dating violence. It is imperative that parents and teens understand the risk factors and signs that are associated with teen dating violence. Second, it is important to educate teens about the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships and the consequences of violence for both partners (Payne et al., 2013). A third prevention measure is to teach teens positive relationship skills, including how to cope with challenging emotions and situations and effective communication strategies (Payne et al., 2013). There are also measures that adults (e.g., parents) who are concerned about teen dating violence can utilize: (1) discuss teen dating violence with children before they begin dating; (2) encourage teens to report dating violence; and (3) model behavior that they would like their teens to adopt (Payne et al., 2013).

​Additional references: Learn more about Teen Dating Violence (CDC), and take the Dating Violence Quiz.
 
References
 
Center for Disease Control (CDC). (2016). Understanding Teen Dating Violence: Fact Sheet. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
 
Payne, K. L., Ward, T., Miller, A., & Vasquez, K. (2013). Teen Dating Violence: A Resource and Prevention Toolkit. Alverno College Research Center for Women and Girls. Retrieved March 11, 2016.