Facts About Dating Violence

Dating violence is an issue that many people face. From teenagers to adults a great number of people around deal with or have dealt with dating violence. The facts that surround dating violence are astonishing and show that anyone could be a part of the alarming statistics.

• Only 33 percent of teens who were in a situation of dating abuse ever told anyone about it.


• Teens are at a higher risk than adults of dealing with intimate partner abuse.


• Dating violence is the leading cause of injury to young women


• Females’ ages 16-24 are at the highest risk of dating violence than any other age group, this rate is almost triple the national average.


• Between 1993 and 1999 22 percent of all homicides committed against females ages 13-19 were by and intimate partner.


• 58 percent of rape victims report being raped between the ages of 12-24


• One-third of high school students have been or will be involved in an abusive relationship.


• Half of reported date rapes occur among teenagers


• Victims of dating violence are more like to have substance abuse problems, eating disorders and attempt suicide.


• Nearly one quarter of girls admitted to going further sexually than they had wanted because of pressure; 70 percent of young women knew their rapist as a boyfriend, friend or social acquaintance.


• The severity of violence among partners is known to increase if the pattern was established in adolescence. About 45 percent of girls know someone who has been pressured into intercourse or oral intercourse.


• Approximately, 86 percent of girls reported that they would rather talk to a friend about an incident of dating violence. Only 7 percent would report the incident to the police. 


• Youths involved in same sex dating are just as likely to face incidents of dating violence as youth involved in heterosexual dating.