Teen dating violence is a pattern of controlling and abusive behavior used by one partner to gain power over the other. Such behavior includes physical, sexual, emotional, and/or psychological abuse. Tragically, research shows that too many of our young adults are in such relationships.
A 2014 study by the National Research Opinion Center at the University of Chicago has found that 20 percent of teens, both boys and girls, report being the victim of physical and sexual dating abuse. Meanwhile, Loveisnotabuse.org reports that nearly one in three college students say they have been abused by a partner. These statistics transcend demographic categories, including race, socioeconomic status, and geographical location. Domestic violence doesn’t discriminate.
