Teen Dating Violence statistics are alarming

The words domestic violence are usually assoiciated with an adult woman being abused by an adult male.  One in four women will be affected by some form of domestic violence, in their lifetime. Domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another. It includes physical violence, sexual violence, psychological violence, and emotional abuse. http://www.ncadv.org/need-support/what-is-domestic-violence.

With awareness growing, studies have been geared to teen domestic violence.  The statistics are alarming.  http://www.loveisrespect.org/resources/dating-violence-statistics/  Over 1.5 million high school students will experience some form of physical abuse, this year.  43% of college dating women have reported some form of abuse.  These numbers only include the reported number of cases. Statistically, only 33% of those vicitims every told anyone about the abuse.  Parents that were surveyed don't believe that teen domestic violence is an issue (81%). The shocking part, only 58% of parents could identify the signs of an abusive relationship.

Organizations can spread awareness, but education is needed for our teens.  As of July 2014, only 22 states had some form of legislation; in place, that addresses education for teen dating violence.  http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/teen-dating-violence.aspx

Spreading awareness is a step in the right direction, but without educational programs we could see these statistics continue to grow.