Many people experience dating for the first time as teenagers, which is an inevitable aspect of life. However, maintaining healthy relationships calls for effort, open communication, and a level of maturity that may not exist in teenagers. As a result, over one third of teen relationships are considered to be either dysfunctional or aggressive. An essential first step in prevention is understanding what teen dating violence is, why it occurs, and what it means for those affected.
Teen dating violence refers to any form of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, harassment, or stalking of anyone a minor.
Some types are:
When a partner is hit, kicked, or subjected to other physical force, it is considered to be committing physical violence.
When a partner does not consent, cannot consent, or declines to engage in sexual activity, sexual violence happens when anyone tries to compel them to perform it. It also encompasses non-physical sexual practices like sending someone sexually explicit text messages or publishing or exchanging sexual images of one's partner.
Stalking is a habit of recurrent, unwelcome advances and interaction from a former or current partner that affects the victim or anyone close to them feel scared or endangered.
Psychological aggression refers to the use of nonverbal and verbal signals with the purpose of controlling and inflicting psychological or emotional harm on a partner.