Teen dating violence is a form of intimate partner violence affecting
millions of young people in the United States, and is classed as an **adverse
childhood experience**. It can happen **in person, online, or through
technology**.
The four kinds
| Physical violence | Hurting or trying to hurt a partner — hitting, kicking, other physical force |
| Sexual violence | Forcing or attempting to force sexual acts or touching without consent, including where the partner cannot consent. Also non-physical behaviour, such as sharing sexual images or sexting without consent |
| Psychological aggression | Verbal and non-verbal communication intended to harm a partner mentally or emotionally, and to exert control |
| Stalking | A pattern of repeated, unwanted attention and contact by a current or former partner that causes fear for the victim or someone close to them |
Why so much of it goes unreported
Two obstacles, and neither is about the violence itself:
**Teens often think some behaviours — teasing, name-calling — are a normal
part of a relationship.** They can become abusive and develop into serious
forms of violence, and the early stage does not feel like anything worth
naming.
**Many teens do not report unhealthy behaviour because they are afraid to tell
family and friends.**
So the pattern is: it does not look like abuse at first, and by the time it
does, telling anyone has become harder.
How common
Among US high school students who reported dating in the 12 months before the
2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, **about 1 in 12 experienced physical
dating violence.**
The part that is not bleak
**Teen dating violence profoundly impacts lifelong health, opportunity and
wellbeing — unhealthy relationships can start early and last a lifetime.**
And it is preventable, with resources for teens, families, schools and
communities. Which makes the thing to do about it early and ordinary: naming
teasing, control and constant checking as what they are, before anyone has to
decide whether to report something.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
이용 허락: CC0 1.0 (퍼블릭 도메인) · 출처 www.cdc.gov
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