Fact of the Day
Please think about these statements and what they mean for teens and parents and communities. How can we work together to prevent dating violence and support survivors?
Discuss these facts with your friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors.
Share them on social media.
Help raise awareness.
All statistics have been sourced from Love Is Respect (citations available.)
February 1: 1 in 3 adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional, or verbal abuse from a dating partner.
February 2: Victims of Teen Dating Violence are at higher risk of substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behavior, and future domestic violence.
February 3: Only 1 in 3 teens who are in an abusive relationship ever tell anyone about it.
February 4: 81% of parents believe Teen Dating Violence is not an issue or admit not knowing if it's an issue.
February 5: Lesbian, gay, and bisexual teens report higher rates of dating violence than their heterosexual peers-- 43% compared to 29%. For transgender teens, an alarming 89% report dating violence.
February 6: Girls and young women ages 16-24 experience the highest rate of intimate partner violence-- 3 times the national average.
February 7: 1 in 6 college women have been sexually abused in a dating relationship.
February 8: Nearly 1 in 4 girls who have been in a dating relationship report having gone further sexually than they wanted due to pressure.
February 9: 86% of teens who were in a violent relationship would rather confide in a friend than a caring adult.
February 10: Youth who bully during middle school are 7 times more likely to abuse a dating partner in high school.
February 11: Violent behavior usually begins between the ages of 12 and 18.
February 12: The severity of intimate partner violence is often greater in cases where the pattern of abuse was established in adolescence.
February 13: Over 80% of high school counselors feel unprepared to address incidents of abuse on their campus.
February 14: Healthy relationships are based on love and respect.
February 15: Teen girls who have been sexually or physically abused are 6 times more likely to get pregnant or a sexually-transmitted infection (STI.)
February 16: More than 50% of sexual assaults are committed by a woman's romantic partner.
February 17: Hispanic immigrant girls have less than half the risk of Teen Dating Violence than their non-immigrant Hispanic peers.
February 18: Nearly half of dating college women report experiencing violent and abusive dating behaviors.
February 19: At some time in their lives, 1 in 33 men have experienced an attempted or completed rape.
February 20: At some time in their lives, 1 in 6 women have experienced an attempted or completed rape.
February 21: 1 in 10 high school students has been purposefully hit, slapped, or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend.
February 22: 1 in 3 dating college students has given a dating partner their computer, email, or social network passwords making them more at risk of digital dating violence.
February 23: More than half of college students say it is difficult to identify dating violence.
February 24:More than half of college students say they don't know how to help a friend experiencing dating violence.
February 25: Youth who witness parental violence are more likely to report violence in their own dating relationships.
February 26: Half of youth survivors of Teen Dating Violence and sexual assault attempt suicide compared to 13% of non-abused girls and 5% of non-abused boys.