About one in three American youths age 14-20 say they’ve been of victims of dating violence (physical, sexual or psychological/emotional) and almost one in three acknowledge they’ve committed violence toward a date, according to new research presented at the American Psychological Association’s 121st Annual Convention. Adolescent dating violence is common among young people. It also overlaps between victimization and perpetration and appears across different forms of dating abuse,” according to Michele Ybarra, MPH, PhD. She is with the Center for Innovative Public Health Research, based in San Clemente, Calif.
Girls were almost equally likely to be a perpetrator as a victim of violence: 41 percent reported victimization and 35 percent reported perpetration at some point in their lives. Among boys, 37 percent said they had been on the receiving end, while 29 percent reported being the perpetrator, Ybarra said. Twenty-nine percent of the girls and 24 percent of the boys reported being both a victim and perpetrator in either the same or in different relationships.
Girls were significantly more likely than boys to say they had been victims of sexual dating violence and that they had committed physical dating violence. Boys were much more likely than girls to report that they had been sexually violent toward a date. Experiencing psychological dating violence was about equal for boys and girls. Rates generally increased with age but were similar across race, ethnicity and income levels, according to Ybarra.
Here are some (and many) great resources to use:
Tips for talking to teens: Healthy Relationships
Love doesn't have to hurt: teens
What to do/where to turn for help
Be sure to come and join the conversation in a safe-sharing environment at the Women's Well~Being Circle February Event, "Love Doesn't Hurt: Domestic Violence Awareness." Check the "Upcoming Events" page for more information and to RSVP.
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