What is Teen Dating Violence?

Dating violence occurs in a dating relationship when one person uses physical, emotional or sexual abuse to gain power and to keep control over the other person.

How does domestic violence affect Latin@ youth?

The effects of domestic violence on youth are profound. Youth who are experiencing domestic violence typically display some or all of the following behaviors and characteristics:

• Psychosomatic issues, e.g., stomachaches, ulcers, headaches
• Subtle reactions: loss of appetite, overeating, sleep difficulties, nail biting or stuttering
• Low self-esteem and feelings of failure
• Anger: aggression, hostility or destructiveness
• Disruptive behavior or violence toward peers
• Wearing high-necked or long-sleeved clothing in warm weather
• Juvenile delinquency, e.g., truancy, vandalism, drinking or drug abuse

There are issues for immigrant youth that exacerbate the stress of living with domestic violence.

• Undocumented youth experience many fears. Calling the police, telling a school counselor or parents might open up an investigation that could ultimately lead to the deportation of the boyfriend/girlfriend.

• When someone is in the midst of a crisis, it is common to go back to one’s first language. Youth who do so cannot utilize resources or confide in counselors or teachers who speak only English.

Statistics

• Data from a study of 8th and 9th grade male and female students indicated that 25% had been victims of nonsexual dating violence and 8% had been victims of sexual dating violence.

• Studies of college students and high school students suggest that both males and females inflict and receive dating violence in equal proportion, but the motivation for violence by women is more often for defensive purposes. Other studies have found that women and girls were victims of dating violence twice as often as men and boys, and that females suffer significantly more injuries than males.

• A recent National Crime Victimization survey found that women were 6 times more likely than men to experience violence at the hands of an intimate partner. Intimate partners include current or former spouses, boyfriends, girlfriends, dating partners, regardless of whether they are cohabiting or not.

Casa de Esperanza created the Youth Peer Education program, which is the byproduct of our film, ¡Ubícate!™. Latin@ youth played key roles in the creation of the film — writing, producing and performing — that sets the stage for straightforward discussion of teen relationships, including dating violence. Click here to learn more about ¡Ubícate!™ and to purchase the film.

Write us at ourwork@casadeesperanza.org for more information about the Youth Peer Education program.