Teen dating violence— also called intimate relationship violence or intimate partner violence among adolescents or adolescent relationship abuse — includes physical, psychological or sexual abuse; harassment; or stalking of any person ages 12 to 18 in the context of a past or present romantic or consensual relationshipi. It is important to understand and recognize the signs of teen dating violence. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), dating violence is not about love, it is about power and control. “Dating violence involves a pattern of behaviors that one partner uses to try to control the other. These behaviors may include physical and sexual violence and emotional abuse.”iiCDC has created a factsheet that explains the warning signs of teen dating violence as well as strategies to prevent teen dating violence.
To get help, please visit:
National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline(link is external)
If you or someone you know has been the victim of dating violence, free and confidential help is available 24 hours a day through the National Dating Abuse Helpline.
- Call 1-866-331-9474 or TTY 1-866-331-8453.
- Seek online support at www.loveisrespect.org(link is external) through the live chat feature.
- Text ‘loveis’ directly to 77054 to begin a text chat with an advocate.
For more information, please visit:
Girlshealth.gov – Healthy Relationships – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Girlshealth.gov – Safe Relationships – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Institute of Justice – U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Adolescent Health – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office on Violence Against Women – U.S. Department of Justice
Womenshealth.gov – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Dating Matters(link is external)-Supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
iU.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice. Teen Dating Violence. Accessed from: http://nij.gov/topics/crime/intimate-partner-violence/teen-dating-violence/welcome.htm
iiU.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Centers for Disease Control. Understanding Teen Dating Violence. Accessed from: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/teen-dating-violence-factsheet-a.
Content retrieved from: https://youth.gov/feature-article/national-teen-dating-violence-awareness-and-prevention-month.