Teen Dating and Relationship Abuse
Too often teens are allowed to explore and develop their relationships with no guidance from parents, ministers, or teachers.
In many cases their sole guidance comes from what they see in the movies, on TV, or even in video games.
Is it no wonder then, that many teens will end up in an abusive and even threatening relationship? The number of teen abuse cases has recently begun to be measured.
A study conducted in 2009 by the U.
S.
Center for Disease Control indicated that: *1 in 5 "tweens"ages 13 and 14 who have been in a relationship say that they know someone who has been hit in anger by a boyfriend or girlfriend.
*1 in 5 admit to being emotionally abused.
*62% know of a friend who has been verbally abused.
*1 in 5 teen girls have been physically or sexually abused.
*70% of girls who were sexually attacked knew their attacker-either a friend, acquaintance, or boyfriend.
*More than half of girls surveyed reported mutual aggression in their relationship - meaning that both she and her partner were physically aggressive toward each other.
Additional reports from the Department of Health Resources and Service Administration indicates that 58% of rape victims are between the ages of 12-14.
Half of reported rapes occur among teenagers.
Coupled with these and other statistics are studies such as that in Women's Health (2002) that conclude that 81% of parents believe teen dating violence is not an issue or that they don't know that it is an issue.
Some questions that then come to mind are, "If we know that teen dating abuse occurs, why don't we do something about it?" "Why don't parents know about it and the physical or emotional damage that can result from it?" One of the simplest answers is, "Lack of education".
As with any potential danger that arises from lack of knowledge, there is not a set of guidelines or warning signals that our teens can use in understanding their social relationships.
This education can only be provided through a dedicated training program conducted in a school, church, Youth Ministry, YMCA, or other type of organization.
Not only do the teens need to be educated, but parents as well.
The education process needs to encompass all aspects of the teens circle of contacts...
family, school, friends and community.
A number of programs are available that deal with social relationships, teen dating, and more.
Whether through a government or private agency, these programs will provide the platform from which you can present your youth with the knowledge and skills to deal with abusive relationships.
By providing them with the warning signs of a potentially abusive relationship, they and their friends will learn to recognize the signs and take action before that relationship enters the "danger zone".
Education is the surest way to prevention.
It is important to realize that teens will quickly pick up on this training, because they will recognize it as pertinent to something they witness almost every day.
With this being the case, it is only a matter for your school, church or parent organization to recognize what your teens do, "that there is a problem", but one that can be dealt with.
In many cases their sole guidance comes from what they see in the movies, on TV, or even in video games.
Is it no wonder then, that many teens will end up in an abusive and even threatening relationship? The number of teen abuse cases has recently begun to be measured.
A study conducted in 2009 by the U.
S.
Center for Disease Control indicated that: *1 in 5 "tweens"ages 13 and 14 who have been in a relationship say that they know someone who has been hit in anger by a boyfriend or girlfriend.
*1 in 5 admit to being emotionally abused.
*62% know of a friend who has been verbally abused.
*1 in 5 teen girls have been physically or sexually abused.
*70% of girls who were sexually attacked knew their attacker-either a friend, acquaintance, or boyfriend.
*More than half of girls surveyed reported mutual aggression in their relationship - meaning that both she and her partner were physically aggressive toward each other.
Additional reports from the Department of Health Resources and Service Administration indicates that 58% of rape victims are between the ages of 12-14.
Half of reported rapes occur among teenagers.
Coupled with these and other statistics are studies such as that in Women's Health (2002) that conclude that 81% of parents believe teen dating violence is not an issue or that they don't know that it is an issue.
Some questions that then come to mind are, "If we know that teen dating abuse occurs, why don't we do something about it?" "Why don't parents know about it and the physical or emotional damage that can result from it?" One of the simplest answers is, "Lack of education".
As with any potential danger that arises from lack of knowledge, there is not a set of guidelines or warning signals that our teens can use in understanding their social relationships.
This education can only be provided through a dedicated training program conducted in a school, church, Youth Ministry, YMCA, or other type of organization.
Not only do the teens need to be educated, but parents as well.
The education process needs to encompass all aspects of the teens circle of contacts...
family, school, friends and community.
A number of programs are available that deal with social relationships, teen dating, and more.
Whether through a government or private agency, these programs will provide the platform from which you can present your youth with the knowledge and skills to deal with abusive relationships.
By providing them with the warning signs of a potentially abusive relationship, they and their friends will learn to recognize the signs and take action before that relationship enters the "danger zone".
Education is the surest way to prevention.
It is important to realize that teens will quickly pick up on this training, because they will recognize it as pertinent to something they witness almost every day.
With this being the case, it is only a matter for your school, church or parent organization to recognize what your teens do, "that there is a problem", but one that can be dealt with.
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