Dating Violence

Dating Violence mirrors domestic violence in all aspects: it is an issue of one partner exerting power and control over the other, it is primarily perpetrated against women by their male partners, and it cuts across all boundaries of race, experience, class, sexual orientation, and background. As with domestic violence, many those who experience violence in their dating relationship often experience sexual violence within the context of that relationship. Abuse within a dating relationship can happen immediately or years into a relationship. It can involved physical, emotional and sexual abuse as well as stalking behavior.

If you are experiencing abuse in your dating relationship, there are resources and help is available. Click here to find a Network Program advocate in your area or here for State and National resources.

Teen Dating and Sexual Violence

Although abuse within a dating relationship is similar to abuse between adults who are married, teen dating and sexual violence warrants some additional considerations.

The Problem:

Approximately one in three adolescent girls in the United States is a victim of physical, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner.[1]
One in five tweens –age 11 to 14 – say their friends are victims of dating violence and nearly half who are in relationships know friends who are verbally abused.[2]
Teen victims of physical dating violence are more likely than their non-abused peers to smoke, use drugs, engage in unhealthy diet behaviors, engage in risky sexual behaviors, and attempt or consider suicide. [3]

Considerations:

Because teens are still developing physically and emotionally, dating violence perpetrated against teens may interfere with their social, emotional, and physical development as well as their academic progress and life planning.

Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault and Rape:

Teens’ experiences of sexual violence very often involves the use of alcohol and/or drugs by the victim, the perpetrator, or both. Whether or not someone has chosen to use alcohol or drugs, there is NO EXCUSE for sexual violence. If you have been raped while you were drunk or high, or are feeling uncomfortable about a sexual experience that happened while you were intoxicated, please know that advocates are available to help you talk about it. Police will almost always be most concerned about what happened to you, not whether you were using alcohol or drugs. If you have questions, call the sexual violence hotline for more information or just to talk.

Teens are often reluctant to seek help from adults and adult designed services. As such, programs aimed at preventing and responding to sexual violence perpetrated against youth are best tailored to meet their specialized needs. Many of the Vermont Network Programs provide outreach, education, and support services to youth who have experienced sexual violence. For more information and to find a youth advocate, click here

[1] Davis, Antoinette, MPH. 2008. Interpersonal and Physical Dating Violence among Teens. The National Council on Crime and Delinquency Focus.

[2] Tween and Teen Dating Violence and Abuse Study, Teenage Research Unlimited for Liz Claiborne Inc. and the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline. February 2008.

[3] Silverman, J, Raj A, et al. 2001. Dating Violence Against Adolescent Girls and Associated Substance Use, Unhealthy Weight Control, Sexual Risk Behavior, Pregnancy, and Suicidality.JAMA. 286:572-579.