 |
| News > Teen dating violence awareness happens in February |
|
Teen dating violence awareness happens in February
Posted 2/15/2011 Updated 2/15/2011
Email story
Print story
by Valerie Seitz
18th Medical Operations Squadron, licensed clinical social worker
2/15/2011 - KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- One in three teens will be in an abusive relationship and most will stay in the relationship after the first act of violence, according to a nation-wide teen dating violence and abuse survey conducted by DoSomething.org in June 2009.
The survey had some very shocking results that led to increased awareness about what some teen and tween relationships are like. In an effort to support this awareness, Kadena's Family Advocacy Program will host an information fair for teens and parents 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26 at the Schilling Community Center.
One of the most harmful things about teen dating is most parents don't even know when it's happening. Yet, it is common in abusive relationships for victims to stay. This is because the gradual psychological breakdown degrades self esteem and can create a sense of dependence on the relationship. Domestic violence statistics show that victims of abuse temporarily leave the situation an average of eight to ten times before they leave permanently.
Other statistics from the survey:
- 50 percent of youth respondents said they are personally affected by teen dating violence and abuse.
- Nearly half of all teens involved in a relationship reported being controlled, threatened and pressured to do things they didn't want to do.
- 78 percent of teens stay in abusive relationships despite parental advice.
- 40 percent of teenage girls, ages 14 to 17, know someone their own age who has been hit or beaten by a partner.
- 25 percent of teenage girls in relationships say they have been pressured into sex when they didn't want to.
- Nearly one in four teens in a relationship communicated with their partner through cell phone calls or text messages hourly between midnight and 5 a.m.
- One in three teens say they are text messaged 10, 20 or 30 times an hour by a partner inquiring where they are, what they are doing or who they are with.
- 82 percent of parents whose teens were texted or e-mailed 30 times an hour were unaware it was happening.
- 75 percent of parents were unaware that their teen had been physically hurt or bruised by their partner.
- 75 percent of the 1,233 teens surveyed nationwide said their families were affected by the economic turndown. 44 percent of those same teens witnessed violent or abusive behavior between their parents and 67 percent experienced some form of dating abuse themselves.
DoSomething.org is the largest national organization dedicated to teens and social change.
For more information, contact Valerie Seitz, Family Advocacy Outreach Manager at 634-0433.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
