Raising Up An Alliance of Discerning Luminaries

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Twenty-six percent of women and 15% of men who were victims of intimate partner violence reported that their first experience was before age 18, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Youth Risk Behavior Survey and the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey. 

• Teen dating violence, also called "dating violence," is an adverse childhood experience that affects millions of young people in the United States.
• Teen dating violence is preventable, and resources are available for teens, families, schools, and communities.

Dating violence can take place in person, online, or through technology. It is a type of intimate partner violence that can include the following types of behavior:

• Physical violence is when a person hurts or tries to hurt a partner by hitting, kicking, or using another type of physical force.
• Sexual violence involves forcing or attempting to force a partner into sexual acts or touching without their consent, including situations where the partner cannot consent. It also includes non-physical behaviors, like sharing sexual images or sexting without consent.
• Psychological aggression is the use of verbal and non-verbal communication with the intent to harm a partner mentally or emotionally and exert control over a partner.
• Stalking is a pattern of repeated, unwanted attention and contact by a current or former partner that causes fear or safety concerns for an individual victim or someone close to the victim.

Teen dating violence profoundly impacts lifelong health, opportunity, and wellbeing. Unhealthy relationships can start early and last a lifetime. The good news is violence is preventable, and we can all help young people grow up violence-free.

Teens often think some behaviors, like teasing and name-calling, are a "normal" part of a relationship. However, these behaviors can become abusive and develop into serious forms of violence. Many teens do not report unhealthy behaviors because they are afraid to tell family and friends.

Teen dating violence is common. Data from CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey in 2021 indicated that among U.S. high school students who reported dating during the 12 months before the survey:

• About 1 in 12 experienced physical dating violence.
• About 1 in 10 experienced sexual dating violence.

Some teens are at greater risk than others. Female students experienced higher rates of physical and sexual dating violence than male students. Students identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ) or those who were unsure of their gender identity experienced higher rates of physical and sexual dating violence than heterosexual students.

Unhealthy, abusive, or violent relationships can have short-and long-term negative effects on a developing teen. Youth who are victims of teen dating violence are more likely to:

• Experience depression and anxiety symptoms.
• Engage in unhealthy behaviors, like using tobacco, drugs, and alcohol.
• Exhibit antisocial behaviors, like lying, theft, bullying, or hitting.
• Think about suicide.

Violence in an adolescent relationship sets the stage for future relationship problems. These problems can include intimate partner violence and sexual violence perpetration and/or victimization later. For example, youth who are victims of dating violence in high school are at higher risk for victimization during college.

Supporting healthy relationships could reduce teen dating violence and prevent its harmful, long-lasting effects on individuals, their families, and their communities. During the pre-teen and teen years, it is critical for youth to begin learning skills to create and maintain healthy relationships. This includes skills like managing feelings and communicating in a healthy way. Research emphasizes the need for prevention efforts that address the unique needs of teens at higher risk of experiencing dating violence.

CDC has resources to help communities focus their prevention efforts on what works to address risk and protective factors for violence. For example, Dating Matters® is a comprehensive prevention model that teaches 11–14-year-olds how to have healthy, safe relationships. Programs for youth include interactive lessons on understanding feelings, healthy communication, unhealthy and unsafe relationships, and other topics. Dating Matters also includes programs for parents, educators, and older youth to help build protective environments and change social norms.

CDC also developed the Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Resource for Action. This resource describes strategies and approaches based on the best available evidence for preventing intimate partner violence, including teen dating violence. The strategies included can be used in combination to prevent intimate partner violence and teen dating violence.