February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month.
Teen dating violence is a prime outcome of unhealthy relationships. To better define, teen dating violence is a form of violence that occurs between intimate partners. Forms of dating violence can range from physical, emotional, sexual, and/or talking. Below is a fact sheet explaining why dating violence is a public health problem, who is at risk and how it can be combated.
http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/teen-dating-violence-factsheet-a.pdf
Here are some quick facts regarding teen dating violence:
- Young women between the ages of 15-19 experience 10 times more violence in relationships then young men
- 1 in 4 teenage girls who have been in relationships reveal they have been pressured to perform oral sex or engage in intercourse
- 89% of teens between the ages of 13 and 18 say they have been in dating relationships; forty percent of teenage girls age 14 to 17 report knowing someone their age who has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend
- 66% of all female victims of sexual assault are under the age of twenty-four, and 11% are under the age of eleven
- Most common location where dating violence occurs is in the victim’s home (45%) and the least would be in the residence of the accused (12%)
For further information on teen dating violence in Canada, please refer to the hyperlink below;
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2010002/article/11242-eng.htm
http://newchoicesinc.org/help/TDV/stats
If you have experienced sexual assault, you deserve support. Remember that you can contact SAVIS. Our 24 hour crisis support line is 905-875-1555 and it is free and confidential!