February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

1 in 3 adolescents is a victim of abuse by a dating partner.

February is the month of love and heart health (cue the red wine). It’s the month to commemorate Black and LGBT history. It’s also Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, an issue that is all too common among young people.

The Statistics

Each year in the U.S., nearly 1.5 million high school students fall victim to abuse from a partner. Young women between the ages of 16 and 24 experience abuse at a rate almost 3x the national average and almost half of dating college women experience abusive behavior.¹ Of those between the ages of 11 and 15 who have been in a relationship, 62% know a friend who has been verbally abused by a partner. More than 1 in 4 teenage girls in a relationship are repeatedly verbally abused.²

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And while 80% of teenagers think verbal abuse is a serious issue for people their age ², only 33% of teens who were in an abusive relationship ever told anyone about the abuse. What’s worse is that half of teens who experience dating violence or rape attempt suicide.¹

What YOU Can Do About It

Teen dating violence is a BIG problem. Not only is this issue widespread but the effects are also far-reaching. You can do something to change these statistics and teach others about this epidemic. All month long we are challenging people like you across the country to start conversations about the difference between healthy and unhealthy dating behaviors. You can get others talkin’ with our Stick it to Love campaign…

Or you can spread awareness online by sharing our Couplets videos!!

More Resources

For more resources on this topic, you can check out our friends at LoveIsRespect or Futures Without Violence. For more on unhealthy dating behaviors check out these 10 Signs.

¹ Source: LoveIsRespect.org

² Source: NewChoicesInc.org