Dating Violence: What Is It?

“The person I’m going out with
scares me sometimes.”
Help for
Teenage
Victims
of Crime
Dating Violence
What Is It?
Dating violence is controlling, abusive, and aggressive behavior in a romantic relationship.
It can happen in straight or gay relationships. It can include verbal, emotional, physical, or
sexual abuse, or a combination.
Controlling behavior may include:

z Not letting you hang out with your friends
z Calling or paging you frequently to find out where you are, whom you're with,
and what you're doing
z Telling you what to wear
z Having to be with you all the time
Verbal and emotional abuse may include:

z Calling you names
z Jealousy
z Belittling you (cutting you down)
z Threatening to hurt you, someone in your family, or himself or herself if you don't
do what he or she wants
Physical abuse may include:

z Shoving
z Punching
z Slapping
z Pinching
z Hitting
z Kicking
z Hair pulling
z Strangling
1-800-FYI-CALL
2000 M Street, NW Suite 480 • Washington, DC 20036 • T (202) 467-8700 F (202) 467-8701 www.ncvc.org • [email protected]
TTY 1-800-211-7996
Sexual abuse may include:
z Unwanted touching and kissing
z Forcing you to have sex
z Not letting you use birth control
z Forcing you to do other sexual things
Anyone can be a victim of dating violence. Both boys and girls are victims, but boys and girls
abuse their partners in different ways. Girls are more likely to yell, threaten to hurt themselves,
pinch, slap, scratch, or kick. Boys injure girls more and are more likely to punch their partner
and force them to participate in unwanted sexual activity. Some teen victims experience physi-
cal violence only occasionally; others, more often.
If You Are a Victim of Dating Violence, You Might…

z Think it's your fault.
z Feel angry, sad, lonely, depressed, or confused.
z Feel helpless to stop the abuse.
z Feel threatened or humiliated.
z Feel anxious.
z Not know what might happen next.
z Feel like you can't talk to family and friends.
z Be afraid of getting hurt more seriously.
z Feel protective of your boyfriend or girlfriend.
You’re Not Alone

z One in five teens in a serious relationship reports having been hit, slapped, or
pushed by a partner.1
z 50 to 80 percent of teens have reported knowing others who were involved in
violent relationships.2
z Teens identifying as gay, lesbian, and bisexual are as likely to experience violence in
same-sex dating relationships as youths involved in opposite sex dating.3
z Many studies indicate that, as a dating relationship becomes more serious, the
potential for and nature of violent behavior escalates.4
z Young women, ages 16 to 24 years, experience the highest rates of relationship
violence.5
Get Help
Being a victim of dating violence is not your fault. Nothing you say, wear, or do gives anyone
the right to hurt you.
Dating Violence – 2
z If you think you are in an abusive relationship, get help immediately. Don't keep
your concerns to yourself.
z Talk to someone you trust like a parent, teacher, school principal, counselor, or
nurse.
z If you choose to tell, you should know that some adults are mandated report-
ers. This means they are legally required to report neglect or abuse to someone
else, such as the police or child protective services. You can ask people if they are
mandated reporters and then decide what you want to do. Some examples of
mandated reporters are teachers, counselors, doctors, social workers, and in some
cases, coaches or activity leaders. If you want help deciding whom to talk to, call
the National Crime Victim Helpline at 1-800-FYI-CALL (1-800-394-2255) or an
anonymous crisis line in your area. You might also want to talk to a trusted family
member, a friend’s parent, an adult neighbor or friend, an older sibling or cousin, or
other experienced person who you trust.
Help Yourself
Think about ways you can be safer. This means thinking about what to do, where to go for help,
and who to call ahead of time.
z Where can you go for help?
z Who can you call?
z Who will help you?
z How will you escape a violent situation?
Here are other precautions you can take:

z Let friends or family know when you are afraid or need help.
z When you go out, say where you are going and when you'll be back.
z In an emergency, call 911 or your local police department.
z Memorize important phone numbers, such as the people to contact or places to
go in an emergency.
z Keep spare change, calling cards, or a cell phone handy for immediate access to
communication.
z Go out in a group or with other couples.
z Have money available for transportation if you need to take a taxi, bus, or subway
to escape.
Help Someone Else

If you know someone who might be in an abusive relationship, you can help.
z Tell the person that you are worried.
z Be a good listener.
z Offer your friendship and support.
z Ask how you can help.
z Encourage your friend to seek help.
z Educate yourself about dating violence and healthy relationships.
z Avoid any confrontations with the abuser. This could be dangerous for you and
your friend.
If You Want to Read More...

...about dating violence, visit our Dating Violence Resource Center at www.ncvc.org/dvrc.
1 Liz Claiborne Inc., “Study on Teen Dating Abuse,” (Teenage Research Unlimited, 2005), http://www.loveisnota-
buse.com (accessed March 1, 2007).
2 Ibid.
3 L.L. Kupper et al., “Prevalence of Partner Violence in Same-Sex Romantic and Sexual Relationships in a National
Sample of Adolescents,” Journal of Adolescent Health 35 (2004): 124-131.
4 Teen Dating Violence Resource Manual, (Denver: National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 1997), 17.
5 C. M. Rennison and S. Welchans, “BJS Special Report: Intimate Partner Violence,” (Washington, DC: Bureau of
Justice Statistics, 2000).

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“The person I’m going out with

Controlling behavior may include:

Verbal and emotional abuse may include:

Physical abuse may include:

If You Are a Victim of Dating Violence, You Might…

You’re Not Alone

Here are other precautions you can take:

Help Someone Else

If You Want to Read More...

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