Key Findings

  • One in three teenagers report knowing a friend or peer who has been hit, punched, kicked, slapped, choked or physically hurt by their partner.
  • Nearly one in five teenage girls who have been in a relationship said a boyfriend had threatened violence or self-harm if presented with a break-up.
  • 13% of teenage girls who said they have been in a relationship report being physically hurt or hit.
  • One in four teenage girls who have been in relationships reveal they have been pressured to perform oral sex or engage in intercourse.
  • More than one in four teenage girls in a relationship (26%) report enduring repeated verbal abuse.
  • 80% of teens regard verbal abuse as a “serious issue” for their age group.
  • If trapped in an abusive relationship, 73% said they would turn to a friend for help; but only 33% who have been in or known about an abusive relationship said they have told anyone about it.

About the Survey

In February 2005, Fifth & Pacific Companies, Inc. (formerly Liz Claiborne Inc.) commissioned a survey to investigate the level of and attitudes towards dating abuse among American teenagers aged 13 to 18. The research was conducted by Teenage Research Unlimited (TRU).

The reports of abuse extend across suburbs, cities and regions and all ethnic groups. The findings convey a compelling call for help from an overwhelming majority of teens who state that physical and verbal abuse is a serious issue for them.

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