DATING VIOLENCE 101
- 1. Dating Violence 101
    1. One in three teens and young adults experience some form of dating abuse.
    2. Learn the signs and start talking now about healthy relationships!
ABOUT US
- 1. About Us
    1. Break the Cycle provides tools and resources to prevent and end dating abuse.
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- 1. Tools for Action
    1. From our curricula to public campaigns, from policy recommendations to advocacy toolkits, we’ve provided a one-stop shop to promote safe and healthy relationships!
TRAINING
- 1. Training
    1. Break the Cycle’s experts are available for in-person training and online consultation on all your dating abuse questions.
    2. We’re also an official TA provider for the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.
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    2. Volunteer with us as a member of the LINA Coalition or join us in our LA and DC offices.
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Dating Violence 101

What is Dating Violence?

Dating violence is a pattern of abusive behaviors used to exert power and control over a dating partner.

A Pattern of Behavior

Calling dating violence a pattern doesn't mean the first instance of abuse is not dating violence. It just recognizes that dating violence usually involves a series of abusive behaviors over a course of time.

Every relationships is different, but the one thing that is common to most abusive dating relationships is that the violence escalates over time and becomes more and more dangerous for the young victim.

Power and Control

The definition also points out that at the core of dating violence are issues of power and control. The diagram below from loveisrespect.org details how violent words and actions are tools an abusive partner uses to gain and maintain power and control over his or her partner.

What is a Partner?

"Partner" might mean different things to different people, particularly across generations. The relationship may be sexual, but it does not have to be. It may be serious or casual, monogamous or not, short-term or long-term. The important thing to remember is that dating violence occurs within an intimate relationship.

What Does Dating Violence Look Like?

Teens and young adults experience the same types of abuse in relationships as adults. This can include:

Physical abuse: any intentional use of physical force with the intent to cause fear or injury, like hitting, shoving, biting, strangling, kicking or using a weapon
Emotional abuse: non-physical behaviors such as threats, insults, constant monitoring, humiliation, intimidation, isolation or stalking
Sexual abuse: any action that impacts a person’s ability to control their sexual activity or the circumstances in which sexual activity occurs, including rape, coercion or restricting access to birth control

While teens experience the same types of abuse as adults, often the methods are unique to teen culture. For example, teens often report "digital abuse" — receiving threats by text messages or being stalked on facebook or MySpace.