Recognizing abuse in a relationship is difficult, but especially for teens. There are many types of abuse that teens often believe are normal in a relationship. Even though teen relationships may be different from adult relationships in many ways, teens do experience the same types of physical, sexual, verbal and emotional abuse that adults do.

Teens face unique obstacles if they decide to get help. Unlike many adults, teens may not have money, transportation, or safe places to go. They may have concerns about lack of confidentiality, reports to police and child protective services, and parental involvement/notification. But teens do have rights to a safe and healthy relationship.

Check out these helpful facts: Tips for Talking with Teens about Sexual Assault

Teen Dating Statistics:

• Women ages 16 to 24 experience the highest per capita rates of intimate violence- nearly 20 per 1000 women. (Bureau of Justice Special Report: Intimate Partner Violence, May 2000)

• About 1 in 3 high school students have been or will be involved in an abusive relationship.

• 40% of teenage girls ages 14 to 17 say they know someone their age who has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend.

• In one study, from 30 to 50 percent of female high school students reported having already experienced teen dating violence.

• Teen dating violence most often takes place in the home of one of the partners.

• In 1995, 7 percent of all murder victims were young women who were killed by their boyfriends.

• 1 in 5 or 20 percent of dating couples report some type of violence in their relationship.

• 1 in 5 college females will experience some form of dating violence.

• One study found that 38 percent of date rape victims were young women from 14 to 17 years of age.

• A survey of adolescent and college students revealed that date rape accounted for 67 percent of sexual assaults.

• More than half young women raped (68 percent) knew their rapist either as a boyfriend, friend or casual acquaintance.

• More than 4 in every 10 incidents of domestic violence involves non-married persons (Bureau of Justice Special Report: Intimate Partner Violence, May 2000)

You can help victims of teen dating violence today by donating to WEAVE.