In dating violence, one partner tries to maintain power and control over the other through abuse.

Dating violence crosses all racial, economic and social lines.

Nearly half (47%; s=490.21; N=1043) of respondents aged 11-14 reported having been in a dating situation, and 74% (s=771.82; N=1043) stated that dating relationships began at around age 14.

(.) Of those included in the sample, 62% (s=646.66; N=1043) aged 11-14 report being verbally abused, 16% (s=166.88; N=1043) report being physically abused and 28% (s=140.56; N=502) report being sexually abused ().

It can occur in person or electronically and might occur between a current or former dating partner. Healthy relationship behaviors can have a positive effect on a teen’s emotional development.

If you are a teenager involved in an abusive relationship, you need to remember that no one deserves to be abused or threatened.

Further, both parents and children agreed that sexual activity is a part of dating relationships, with 37% (s=385.91; N=1043) of the tweens surveyed and 31% (s=162.13; N=523) of parents acknowledging petting, 27% (s=281.61; N=1043) of tweens and 26% (s=135.98; N=523) of parents acknowledging oral sex and 28% of tweens (s=292.04; N=1043) and 26% (s=135.98; N=523) of parents acknowledging intercourse.

Interestingly, while sex was clearly considered to be a part of dating relationships by both parents and tweens, there was a (statistically) significant indication that parents did not consider it to be child had gone further than kissing.

The 2013 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey found approximately 10% of high school students reported physical victimization and 10% reported sexual victimization from a dating partner in the 12 months* before they were surveyed. All too often these examples suggest that violence in a relationship is normal, but violence is never acceptable.

Teenagers often experience violence from another teen in dating relationships.