Forms And Causes Of Teen Dating Violence

IntroductionIn recent history, dating violence has become a paramount issue in American society. With the rates of domestic violence on the rise, much research has been conducted that provides evidence that violence during dating relationships in the teen years is a strong contributing factor to later domestic violence. Current research is revealing that a far larger percentage of teens are suffering from some amount of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse in their dating relationships. Studies have shown that both those who engage in the violent behaviors, as well as those who are the victims of these acts are more likely to be involved in violent relationships in the future. The significant number of individuals involved in these

like gender, social class, sexual orientation, and other aspects of life. With this social attunement

High school is a time where teens are first getting into relationships and having sex. Unfortunately, this is also a time where teenagers can be victims to peer sexual harassment, sexual assault, and teen dating violence. According to the Miller-Perrin, Perrin, and Renzetti (2017), consequences to peer sexual harassment is that victims feel lower self-esteem, confidence, grades, lack of sleep and appetite, increased levels of depression, and more likely to miss school (p. 179). Consequences of sexual assault could both physical and psychological. Physical health outcomes could range from the actual injuries sustained during the assault, possible STDs, headaches, and insomnia. While psychological outcomes could include PTSD symptoms and thoughts of suicide. There is also a risk of re-victimization later in adulthood, possible due to increased drug use after an assault (Miller-Perrin et al, 2017, p.188). Consequences of teen dating violence could include increase substance abuse, thoughts of suicide, social withdrawal, depression, and the development of eating disorders (Miller-Perrin et al, 2017, p. 195). Another part of teen dating violence is stalking. According to the Miller-Perrin, Perrin, and Renzetti (2017), stalking is defined as causing someone to feel fearful through threats or unwanted contact. (p. 192). Stalking can be done by current and former partners in person or over technology. Within the era of technology, former and current partners are forcing their partners to give up their passwords or use social media against them to make them

They cannot hide” (Domestic Violence). Although counselors are close by, a teen may fear that revealing their abuse will not only slander their abusers reputation, but theirs as well. With nearly 1.5 million high school students experiencing physical abuse yearly from a dating partner (Love is Respect), this problem needs to be addressed in an appropriate classroom setting. Teens need to be taught the warning signs, and also how to handle an abusive situation. “Violent relationships in adolescence can have serious ramifications by putting the victims at higher risk for substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behavior and further domestic violence” (Love is Respect). And with adolescence being an important time for a child to transition into young adulthood, being faced with an abusive relationship may put a chip in their development. As the future of the American nation grows, abuse should not be allowed to grow with them.

Teen Dating Violence (TDV) is described as the physical, emotional, or sexual abuse that occurs within a relationship while dating. TDV can occur in person, or electronically by a current or former partner (CDC, 2014). Many adolescents and adults are unaware of the prevalence of TDV but a recent national study revealed that nearly 10% of adolescents have reported being hit, slapped, or intentionally physically hurt by someone they had claimed to be dating (CDC, 2014). About 20% of adult women who reported experiencing some form of intimate partner violence (IPV) also reported experiencing TDV between the ages of 11-17 (CDC, 2014). Also, black students experience TDV (14%) at a significantly higher rate than

Dating violence is most commonly thought of in mature adult relationships, but it is also alarmingly common among youth. Youth experience many forms of dating violence. Dating violence includes a large range of abusive behaviors, such as physical, emotional, and sexual assault. These abusive behaviors occur between two people who have entered a romantic or sexual relationship together, and consider themselves to be a couple. Dating violence and victimization may occur in any romantic or sexual relationship, but the population of heterosexual female youth are more susceptible to experiencing this abuse. This paper is intended to examine the relationship that risk factors play in both the lives of perpetrators and victims alike. Risk factors are any characteristics that an individual possesses that could provide them with a predisposition towards violence, or towards being victimized by a romantic partner. Risk factors may include, but are not limited to: substance abuse, poor performance in school, lack of social acceptance, and mental health (Dank, Lachman, Zweig, & Yahner, 2013). Other risk factors can include family life and deviancy (Vézina & Hébert, 2007). An intervention method of decreasing youth dating violence will also be examined. This method consists of providing youth with appropriate ways of behaving in a relationship through a variety of techniques. By examining the roles played by both risk factors and intervention, it is apparent that female youth are more

In “ Myths and Facts About Dating Violence,” critical information is given about dating violence, including emotional abuse, as well as the important issue of who’s fault the abuse is, which suggests that dating violence is not a problem to be taken lightly. The article states “ Verbal and emotional abuse can have long-lasting effects, often longer lasting than the effects of physical abuse.” This shows that emotional abuse should be considered just as dangerous, if not more dangerous than physical abuse. Although it is not mentioned, sexual abuse plays a role in this as well. Sexual abuse can have more harmful effects than physical abuse, and can be just as hazardous as emotional abuse. “Approximately one in three adolescent girls in the

I have fallen in love once, but it wasn’t your ideal love story. The guy I was in love with, seemed harmless when I first became involved with him. However, as the relationship grew, he began to abuse me: emotionally and physically. I was terrified, as he began to holler deleterious phrases and names at me, along with leaving bruises on my body. Who could I have turned to? What if he continues to hurt me, or even exceed the damage he’s already done if I were to tell anyone? Dating abuse: one of the many problems in the world that is mildly prominent, but is not being acknowledged to its full potential. Empathy and compassion should be directed towards dating abuse, because this is a continuous event that is still occurring to young adolescents today. Due to the unawareness of dating abuse, students and teachers should put in the effort to inform each other and those around them of dating abuse, as well as how to address it.

Teenage dating violence can be physical, sexual and/or physiological abuse. In the article, “There’s a Fine Line… Adolescent Dating Violence and Prevention,” author Judith Herrman explains “dating violence is the occurrence of physically, sexually and/or emotionally violent episodes in an intimate, interpersonal relationship” (Herrman 164). The violent relationship includes a victim along with a perpetrator. Adolescent years are a major stage of development for teenager and the inconsistency of teenage relationships is the reason teenage dating violence is on the rise. Dating violence can occur regardless of religion, ethnicity or socio-economic background. Domestic violence usually first occurs

Intimate partner violence (IPV; commonly referred to as dating violence in adolescence) is a serious public health problem in youth (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). Decades of empirical research have clearly demonstrated that having a history of IPV is associated with substantial physical and emotional costs, including depression, anxiety, anger, substance use, risky sexual behavior, cognitive impairment, chronic pain, injury, sexually transmitted disease, and suicidality (Campbell, 2002; Coker et al., 2002; Exner-Cortens, Eckenrode, & Rothman, 2013; Malik, Sorenson, & Aneshensel, 1997; Silverman, Raj, Mucci, & Hathaway, 2001; Straight, Harper, & Arias, 2003; Wolitzky-Taylor et al., 2008). Equally alarming is the high prevalence of IPV, with an estimated 10-20% of youth having experienced physical or sexual violence (Eaton, Davis, Barrios, Brener, & Noonan, 2007; Foshee et al., 2009; Shorey, Cornelius, & Bell, 2008) and even higher rates when examining at-risk samples or considering less severe forms of violence (Orpinas, Nahapetyan, Song, McNicholas, & Reeves, 2012; Wolfe, Scott, Wekerle, & Pittman, 2001). For example, empirical research has demonstrated that sexual minorities, particularly youth, are at increased risk for IPV (Dank Lachman, Zweig, & Yahner; 2014; Reuter, Sharp, & Temple, 2015).

Teen dating violence in Florida does not get enough attention. Teen violence is caused by a variety of negative factors that directly or indirectly affect a teenager’s quality of life. Many of these factors come from a negative living environment. Ethically and morally teenagers are losing the value system that was once held as the core of humanity. Teen violence includes many different activities. These include fights, gang violence and suicide. The victims of teen violence are most often other teenagers. Teens who commit acts of violence are often involved in other types of risky or criminal behavior. They may use drugs, carry weapons, drive recklessly and have unsafe sex. The most critical risk factor for violence for

In this study, researchers wanted to investigate the potential link between teen dating violence victimization and bullying victimization. If such a link was found, researchers may be able to prevent some forms of teen dating violence from occuring by targeting those who had a prior history of being bullied. Furthermore, those victims could be educated on the potential dangers that come with the often unfamiliar territory of dating. A survey that offered self-report data on levels of bullying victimization, as well as levels of teen dating victimization was given to 17,780 adolescents in grades 9 through 12. The cultural breakdown of adolescents that participated in the survey was 33% African American, 55% Caucasian, and 12% of those surveyed

Adolescents can experience all forms of dating violence physical, emotional, sexual, stalking, coercion and electronic dating violence. Teen dating violence (TDV) is the sexual, physical, or psychological/emotional violence and stalking that occurs in person or electronically between partners in a current or former dating relationship (CDC, 2014). Mumford and Giordano (2008) proposes TDV can range from physical to emotional abuse between teens who are dating/romantic relationships. Arriga and Foshee (2004) reported psychological/emotional abuse having a high commonness of 76% among teens who are dating.

According to the CDC (2014) and Hickman (2004), teen dating violence can be violence done to someone in person or electronically. We are learning through recent studies that social media is a new way to victimization and perpetration in dating violence (Jones, Mitchell, & Finkelhor, 2012). For example, in a study by Ybarra and Mitchell (2008), adolescents were being sexually solicited through social networking sites; 33% of the youth reported being harassed online, 43% were solicited through instant messaging, 32% through chat rooms, and most of the harassment was frequently completed through instant messaging versus social networking sites. In addition, text messaging solicitation was twice as high from 2006 to 2008 with sending unwanted