Your education can help prevent deaths from teen dating violence
We often talk about the many way teens today unwittingly become the victims of dating abuse. What is even more painful to examine is how and why teens are killed by current and former dating partners … and what each of us could do to prevent such heartbreaking losses.
Eighty-one percent of parents say teen dating violence isn’t an issue or they don’t know whether or not it’s an issue. In reality, teen dating violence becomes more prevalent every year … and deaths from dating violence more common.
According to a study published in 2019 in JAMA Pediatrics, nearly 12 teens every year were killed by a current or former intimate partner from 2003 to 2016.
Ninety percent of those victims were girls. Most were about 17 years old and dating a male 18 or older. The attacks most often occurred when “the victim [was] breaking up with the perpetrator or refusing to start a relationship with them.” (NPR) Handguns were the most common cause of injury and death.
How do our kids become murderers and murder victims?
In August 2020, ABC57 in St. Joseph County, Indiana, reported that 17-year-old Tysiona Crawford had been shot and killed by her ex-boyfriend; they’d had an argument. Michiana area teen Breanna Rouhselang was pregnant with her boyfriend’s child when he killed her; he didn’t want her to have the baby.
Teen dating violence is not confined to female victims, however. Dating abuse occurs with all genders and all ages, even in middle-school relationships. Today’s technology gives abusers many easily hidden tools for control and intimidation.
Each of us can help young people know their self-worth and how to protect it, though. Developmental Assets® are positive factors within young people, families, schools and communities proven to promote the healthy development of young people … teens who will not tolerate anyone trying to rob them of their self-worth. There are two types:
- External Assets – The supports, opportunities, and relationships young people need across all aspects of their lives.
- Internal Assets – The personal skills, commitments and values young people need to make good choices, take responsibility for their own lives, and be independent and fulfilled.
Let’s each do our part.
Commit to supporting and informing a teen as they learn to navigate relationships while building and preserving their self-worth. Explore shelteringwings.org for our many resources for parents, teachers, faith leaders and teens themselves.
Further reading:
- Know What to Do Before a Young Person Confides in You from Sheltering Wings
- Safe Dates is a school-based prevention program for middle and high school students designed to stop or prevent teen dating violence. Research studies have shown the program to cause meaningful change.
- Dating Matters®: Strategies to Promote Healthy Teen Relationships is the CDC’s comprehensive teen dating violence prevention model.
- Preventing Intimate Partner Violence Across the Lifespan: A Technical Package of Programs, Policies and Practicesincludes multiple strategies from the CDC that can be used in combination to stop teen dating violence before it starts.
- Preventing Teen Dating Violence Fact Sheet from the CDC.
