Disturbing Teen Dating Stats

In my efforts to continually bring awareness to domestic violence, February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness month.  I found a website, DoSomething.org, created as a collective group of millions of young people trying to make a change for the good.  They have outlined 11 facts on teen dating violence that I would like to share.  These facts are as follows:

1.       Roughly 1.5 million high school boys and girls in the U.S. admit to being intentionally hit or physically harmed in the last year by someone they are romantically involved with.

2.       Teens who suffer dating abuse are subject to long-term consequences like alcoholism, eating disorders, promiscuity, thoughts of suicide, and violent behavior.

3.       1 in 3 young people will be in an abusive or unhealthy relationship. 

4.       33% of adolescents in America are victims of sexual, physical, verbal, or emotional dating abuse.

5.       In the U.S., 25% of high school girls have been abused physically or sexually. Teen girls who are abused this way are 6 times more likely to become pregnant or contract a sexually transmitted infection (STI).

6.       Females between the ages of 16 and 24 are roughly 3 times more likely than the rest of the population to be abused by an intimate partner.

7.       8 States in the U.S. do not consider a violent dating relationship domestic abuse. Therefore, adolescents, teens, and 20-somethings are unable to apply for a restraining order for protection from the abuser.

8.       Violent behavior often begins between 6th and 12th grade. 72% of 13 and 14-year-olds are “dating.”

9.       50% of young people who experience rape or physical or sexual abuse will attempt to commit suicide.

10.   Only 1/3 of the teens who were involved in an abusive relationship confided in someone about the violence.

11.   Teens who have been abused hesitate to seek help because they do not want to expose themselves or are unaware of the laws surrounding domestic violence.

I’ve outlined some of the red flags for gaslighting and domestic violence on my website at www.brokentoboldness.com. My novel on gaslighting, “Torched - Burnt By a Gaslighter is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Walmart. Novel is also available on E-Book. Autographed copies can be purchased at www.brokentoboldness.com.

Let’s make 2023 the year to end the abuse!