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Did you know that according to the FWÏã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖ±²¥¿ª½± Student Code of Conduct, dating violence is the intentional use of physical, sexual, verbal or emotional abuse by a person to harm, threaten, intimidate, or control another person in a dating relationship, as defined by Section 71.0021, Family Code? 

Quick Facts on Teen Dating Violence?

• Both girls and boys are victims of abuse
• Both girls and boys are perpetrators of abuse
• Abuse almost always reoccurs in a relationship.
• Most abuse gets more severe with time. 
• Between 10 and 38% of high school students have been victims of dating violence.
• Among students who are currently dating, as many as 59% have experienced physical violence, and 96% have experienced psychological or emotional abuse.
• Adults who use violence with their dating partners often being doing so during adolescence, with the first episode typically occurring by age 15.

Characteristics or signs of the behaviors:

• Physical abuse – hitting, pinching, shaking, choking, shoving, pushing, biting, spitting, pulling hair, threatening, throwing things.
• Psychological/Emotional abuse – ignoring your feelings, insulting your beliefs or values, calling you names, isolating, displaying inappropriate anger, scaring you/driving recklessly, keeping you from leaving, putting down your family/friends, humiliating you in public/private, and threatening to hurt oneself.
• Sexual abuse – forcing a date to have sex, forcing a date to do other sexual things he or she doesn’t want to do. Includes any behavior by a dating partner that is used to manipulate, gain control, gain power over someone, makes a person feel bad about self or others, makes a person afraid of her/his boyfriend/girlfriend. 

Guidelines for helping people who are being abused:

• Believe your friend’s story.
• Make sure they are safe.
• Let them know that they don’t deserve to be abused.
• Ask them lots of questions to get them to think about the problem.
• Ask them what their options are and what they can do. (Stay, leave, talk to partner, get advice)
• Let them know that abuse almost always gets worse in a relationship if it’s ignored.  If the abuse is to stop, the person being abused has to be willing to take actions to end it.
• Encourage them to seek help. (See community resources below)

Community Resources:

• Call 911 in an emergency
• Counselors, Interventionist, Principal, or Teacher
• Women’s Center Crisis Hotline:  817-927-2737
• Safe Haven:  877-701-7233
• National Teen Dating Hotline: 1-800-799-7233

During the month of February, campuses will highlight this topic with information to staff, students and parents.  Check out ourimplementation guide for prevention ideas.

Resources