Warning Signs of Teen Violence
In 2007, approximately ten percent of American teens of both sexes reported that being physically hurt by a
boyfriend or girlfriend sometime during the preceding twelve-month period, according to the Youth Risk Behavior
Survey, a comprehensive statistical monitoring project conducted on a biennial basis by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC). In the same survey, more than 11 percent of teenaged girls reported that they had,
at some point, been forced to engage in sexual intercourse against their will. Other studies have shown that one in
five girls in high school has suffered physical or sexual abuse at the hands of a boyfriend or intimate
partners. Dating violence puts teens at greater risk of physical injury, up to and including death, as well as
depression, suicide, drug abuse, unhealthy eating habits, and risky sexual behaviors that can lead to unwanted
pregnancy, sexual violence, and serious illnesses, including HIV/AIDS.
Information for Teens:
The first stirring of romantic and sexual feelings can be an exciting time for an adolescent, and dating can be lots
of fun. However, being intimate with another person can make a teen vulnerable to violence at the hands of his or
her romantic partner. Teens who experience abuse, whether physical, sexual, or emotional, may find themselves
feeling confused and ashamed and unsure of where to turn. It is important for any victim of abuse to understand
that he or she is not at fault. It is also important for victims to seek out help. The best thing to do is to confide in a
parent, teacher, or other trusted adult. If that is not possible, a teen who is experiencing dating violence should
turn to her friends for support. Nonetheless, the reality is that many teens who are victims of abuse at the hands of
a romantic partner tell no one. For teens who cannot bring themselves to tell anyone about what they are going
through, there are many non-profit organizations and resource centers that are available to help.
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National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline: Are You Being Abused?: This page from the website of the National
Teen Dating Abuse Helpline offers a self-screening questionnaire for teens who are trying to determine
whether they are being abused in their dating relationship.
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The Safe Space: The Safe Space bills itself as “the most comprehensive resource on the web to learn
about dating violence.” This site offers educational resources for teens who suspect that they may be
involved in an abusive relationship but do not know where to turn, as well as tips for staying safe when one
has been a victim of dating violence. One entire section is devoted to the use by abusers of technologies
such as texting and social media to harass, stalk, and threaten their victims and how to guard against it.
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Dating Violence: A Dating Bill of Rights: This page from the website of the Alabama Coalition Against
Domestic Violence offers information about teen violence, including signs that can serve to warn teens that
a dating partner may become abusive, a sidebar that sets out a “dating bill of rights” and a section on
safety planning that encourages teens to confide in adults about abuse and advises them to change
lockers, phone numbers, and routes to school and keep numbers of trusted friends, adults, and community
resources at the ready.
Information for Parents Who Fear Their Children May Be Victims of Dating Violence:
Before parents know it, their children are adolescents and demonstrating an interest in romantic relationships with
their peers. Nearly three-quarters of students in the ninth-grade report that they are engaging, or have engaged, in
dating behavior. Although dating is a natural and healthy part of growing up, the prevalence of violence in teen
dating relationships is alarming. Because of the long-term effects of dating violence on victims, parents should be
aware of the potential for abuse in teen relationships and the signs of an abusive relationship. One of the risk
factors for being both a victim and a perpetrator of teen violence is inadequate parental supervision, involvement,
and support. However, even attentive parents can miss the signs of dating violence, and victims are often reluctant
to divulge the details of their intimate relationships with their families. Parents can address the problem head on by
talking to their children about dating violence before it happens and getting involved with school and community
efforts to reduce the incidence of abusive intimate relationships among teens.
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Choose Respect: Choose Respect is an initiative co-sponsored by the Division of Violence Prevention, an
office of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC), which operates under the auspices
of the CDC and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The aim of Choose Respect is the
prevention of dating violence through education and the fostering of healthy intra-family relationships. The
Choose Respect website provides tips and resources for parents who wish to talk to their adolescent
children about dating and dating violence.
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Warning Signs: This page from the Choose Respect website offers parents a comprehensive list of warning
signs, both signs that a teen is currently in an abusive relationship and signs of an abusive person who has
the potential to perpetrate violence against an intimate partner.
Information for Educators on Dating Violence Resources:
Many victims of teen dating violence do not tell family and friends about what is happening to them. It is therefore
imperative, given the deep and far-reaching consequences of dating violence, that educators recognize the signs
of this form of abuse among their students and be prepared with resources for victims and thief friends and
families. Although detecting dating violence and providing support to victims is vital, it is equally important that
educators engage in prevention by implementing in the classroom educational tools and provided by various
governmental agencies and advocacy groups. Preventing dating violence depends just as much upon recognizing
in students the signs of a potential abuser as well as the signs of a potential victim.
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National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center, Teen Dating Violence: The National Youth Violence
Prevention Resource Center is a federally sponsored and funded program for community members whose
aim is to prevent violence among America’s youth. This page of the National Youth Violence Prevention
Resource Center offers a comprehensive list of resources for educators, healthcare professionals, and
activists seeking to prevent teen dating violence and intervene in abusive relationships between
adolescents. Included are links to articles on confronting, treating, and responding to teens involved in
violent dating relationships and screening teens for dating violence.
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Teen Dating Violence Facts: This fact sheet, compiled by the National Teen Dating Violence Prevention
Initiative of the American Bar Association, provides a comprehensive collection of facts and statistics
gathered from numerous academic studies, federal and state agencies, and advocacy organizations
regarding the incidence, cause, prevention, and consequences of teen dating violence.
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Teen Dating Violence: A Closer Look at Adolescent Romantic Relationships: This article from the National
Institute of Justice Journal, a publication of the National Institute of Justice, the research arm of the U.S.
Department of Justice, provides a thorough analysis of the causation and dynamics of teen dating violence,
drawing on federal research studies and statistics.

2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data: Health Risk Behaviors by Sex: Every two years, the CDC conducts
a comprehensive survey of American youth, covering a wide range of behaviors that put teens at risk of
death, disability, and other adverse consequences. The respondents are students in the ninth through
twelfth grades in public and private high schools across the United States. This page breaks down
responses by sex with respect to behaviors whose incidence varies significantly between males and
females, including dating violence.
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Physical Dating Violence Among High School Students--United States, 2003: This fact sheet issued by the
CDC analyzes survey responses related to dating violence collected through the Youth Risk Behavior
Survey administered in 2003. The authors conclude that the data reveal an urgent need for prevention
programs aimed at children and teens as young as 11 years old with the goal of reducing the incidence of
teen dating violence and associated risk behaviors, as well as of the adverse consequences that correlate
with these behaviors.
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Intimate Partner Violence: Dating Violence Fact Sheet: This comprehensive fact sheet issued by the CDC
defines dating violence as “physical, sexual, or psychological/emotional violence within a dating
relationship.” It includes a number of statistics on the incidence of dating violence among teens culled not
only from CDC-sponsored surveys but also from other scholarly studies and provides a lengthy
bibliography of sources, including articles from refereed journal articles.
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Understanding Teen Violence, 2008: This CDC-authored fact sheet defines dating violence, explains why
dating violence among teens is a serious public health issue, and identifies some of the risk factors for
becoming a perpetrator or victim of dating violence, including low self-esteem, abnormally aggressive
behavior towards others, anger management problems, poor social skills, inadequate parental supervision,
and the occurrence of physical abuse or other violence in the home.
Information for Friends of Teens Who May Be Involved in Relationship Violence:
Teens who are victims of dating violence may be reluctant to confide in adults. They are often more likely to turn to
a close friend for support. Even if a teen tries to conceal ongoing abuse from her peers, a close friend will often be
the first to notice changes in the teen’s behavior and appearance that are the hallmark signs of dating
violence. But the friends of a teen experiencing dating violence are still kids themselves. They may be unsure of
how to help or what resources are available. The links below provide resources for teens who suspect that a friend
is involved in a violent dating relationship or who want to address the problem of dating violence in the larger
community.
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Love is Respect: Support for a Friend: This page from the website for the National Teen Dating Abuse
Helpline offers information for friends of victims of dating violence, including signs of dating violence and a
list of do’s and don’ts for helping and responding to a friend who confides that she is a victim of abuse.

Talk to an Abusive Friend: This page from the website for the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline offers
guidance for teens for confronting friends whom they believe to be the abuser in a relationship marred by
dating violence.
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Break the Cycle: The mission of Break the Cycle is to empower youth to end domestic violence. Break the
Cycle sponsors a youth activism program and offers training to young volunteers who seek to raise
awareness of dating violence among fellow teens.
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How Can I Help My Friend?: This page from the Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence offers tips
and resources for friends of victims of dating violence as well as signs and symptoms that a friend is being
abused.
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Peer Ambassador Program: This page provides teens with information about joining the Love is Respect,
National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline Peer Ambassador Program. Peer Ambassadors volunteer to serve as
peer educators and resources for other young people in their schools and local communities. The National
Teen Dating Abuse Helpline website provides links to an awareness toolkit that ambassadors and other
teens can draw upon in their efforts to help friends who are victims of dating violence and address the
problem of dating violence among their peers.