According to the National Institute of Justice, teen dating violence (TDV) (also known as “intimate partner violence” among adolescents or “adolescent relationship abuse”) includes physical, psychological, emotional, mental, and/or sexual abuse; harassment; or stalking of any person ages 12 to 18 in the context of a past or present romantic or consensual relationship. In practice, there is little difference between domestic violence and dating violence except the typical age ranges affected. Both issues center around an individual seeking to dominate the other through the use of violence, intimidation, and coercive control.
About 1 in 3 high school students in the United States have experienced physical or sexual violence or both by someone they were dating.
Nearly 1.5 million high school students in the United States are physically abused by dating partners every year.
Only 33% of teens who were in an abusive relationship ever told anyone about the abuse.
Girls and young women between the ages of 16 and 24 experience the highest rate of intimate partner violence, almost triple the national average.
LGBTQ+ youth report higher victimization rates.