Nobody wants to imagine that young teens could be anything but smitten and the kind of significant other that fairy tales are made of. The fact that there is a month dedicated to raising awareness for teen dating violence, however, should be enough to peak our attention and have us asking ‘why’. This is an issue that not only impacts the children involved, but parents, educators, friends, and the community as well.
One in three teens will experience dating abuse before they become adults. To begin, let’s take a look at what defines dating violence.
Dating violence can happen in person, online, or through other devices. It is a type of violence committed by one (or both) of the parties in a dating relationship. It can include the following types of behavior:
- Physical violence: when a person hurts or attempts to hurt a partner by hitting, kicking, or any other type of physical force.
- Sexual violence involves forcing or attempting to force a partner into sexual activity or touching without their consent. This also includes situations where the partner cannot consent. In the age of technology, it is important to add that this type of abuse also includes non-physical acts, like sharing sexual images or sexting without consent.
- Psychological aggression is the use of verbal and non-verbal communication with the intent to hurt a partner both emotionally and mentally, or to exercise control over that partner.
- Stalking is continually forcing unwanted attention and contact. This can be committed by either a former partner or a current one. Stalking causes fear or safety concerns for the victim or someone close to the victim, such as a new romantic interest.
Teen dating violence can have a significant impact on the well-being of both the victim and aggressor. When abusive relationships start early, they can have lasting effects on a teen’s choices in significant others by warping the idea of what a ‘normal’ relationship looks like.
Fortunately, teen dating violence is completely avoidable! Join us next week as we explore what it looks like to teach our teens how to set healthy boundaries and set their new-found relationships up for success.
If you see any of these behaviors in your child or in someone your child is dating, please don’t hesitate to find help.
Call the local police department: 515-573-2323 or the Domestic Abuse Resource Hotline: 1-800-383-2988
