Teen Dating Violence Information

Relationships should have a foundation of equal love and respect, when that foundation is breached individuals my be subject to dating violence, which creates an abusive relationship.  Women ages 16 to 24 are most likely to be involved in abusive relationships and a victim of dating violence.  Women and men of any age can experience violence in a relationship, including girls and boys under 16.

Dating violence is defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors used to control a person in a relationship.  Dating Violence can lead to abusive relationships, which is when one person does not respect the other person’s rights and wishes in that relationship.

 

What is considered abuse?

 

  • Emotional abuse
  • Verbal abuse
  • Physical abuse
  • Sexual abuse
  • Jealousy, control and isolation
  • Threats and intimidation
  • Destruction of personal property

 

Red Flags of an Unhealthy Relationship:

 

  • Blows up at little things
  • Wants to isolate you from friends and family
  • Blames others for their own faults
  • Uses or abuses drugs/alcohol
  • Has a history of family violence
  • Is cruel to animals
  • Has a fascination with weapons
  • Thinks it is acceptable to solve conflicts with violence
  • Has strong gender stereotypes (men are…, women are…)
  • Treats partners like property
  • Cannot express emotions verbally, acts out instead
  • Has difficulty with authority figures

 

5 Key Parts of a Healthy Relationship:

 

  • Self-esteem – Having a positive outlook on self is important to balancing the feelings and needs of one’s friends and partners.
  • Communication – Good communication involves sharing feelings and ideas, as well as being a good listener.
  • Agreements – Agreeing to be respectful, honest, and accountable helps build and maintain trust in relationships.
  • Connections – Maintaining other relationships outside of the one with your partner is important for keeping a healthy relationship.
  • Balance – Having a balance between give and take, without one person having more power or control of the other.

 

All Teen Dating Violence information was retrieved from The National Center for Victims of Crime and The Virginia Teen Dating Violence Prevention Task Force.