Teen Dating Violence Awarenes

Teen dating violence is a pattern of behavior that includes physical, emotional, verbal, or sexual abuse used by one person in a dating relationship to exert power and control over another.

In most cases, violence is used to get another to do what he/she wants, to gain power and control, to cause humiliation and to promote fear, and to retaliate against a partner.

TDV is generally defined as occurring among individuals between the ages of 13 and 19 years old.

Approximately 25% of teens report experiencing TDV annually.

Signs of an abusive relationship: 

• Secrecy or withdrawal from friends and family
• Avoidance of school or social events with weird excuses
• The teen’s partner is extremely jealous or possessive.
• Unexplained marks or bruises
• Teen’s partner emails or texts excessively.
• The teen seems anxious or depressed.
• Teen stops participating in favorite activities and events.
• The teen’s partner is violent towards animals and other people.
• Teens begin to dress differently or inappropriately for the weather.

Types of dating abuse:

• Physical
• Verbal
• Psychological/emotional
• Sexual
• Digital/technology

Digital abuse & dating violence examples: 

• Uses technology to keep constant tabs on victim
• Demands to see pictures, phone calls, texts, emails, and call histories and checks them
• Bullies, steals, insists, and forces you to give out and share all your passwords and codes.
• Constantly texts, calls, and emails negative, insulting, or threatening messages to you.
• Uses public forums to spread rumors and post pictures and text messages to humiliate you.

Increased risk of being a teen abuser:

• Believe dating violence is acceptable.
• Aggressive behavior 
• Early-age substance use 
• Early sexual activity/multiple partners
• Friends who abusers
• Witnessing or experiencing violence at home
• Depression, anxiety, trauma

It is not normal when your partner:

• Is extremely jealous, possessive, 
• Withdraws you from friends, family, school, social events, activities, or your interests.
• Scares, pushes, hits, chokes, restrains
• Physically harms, forces you to have sex
• Frequently threatens to harm themselves or commit suicide.
• Checks up on you obsessively, 
• Won’t accept a breakup.

Impact of dating violence increased risk:

• Depression and anxiety
• Risky sexual behavior (not using condoms, multiple partners)
• Unhealthy dieting behaviors
• Substance abuse
• Suicidal ideation/attempts
• Victimization in college
• Avoidance of school to avoid the abuser

 
Barriers to seeking help:

FEAR OF:

• Bad reputation, rumors
• Exposed secrets, outing
• Loss of social status
• Retaliation from partner, friends
• Parental reaction
• Loss of freedom
• Disappointment
• Love
• Normalization
• Pregnancy
• Lack of experience
• Distrust of adults
• Low self-esteem
• Social/Peer Pressure
• Isolation