Injury - Youth Physical Dating Violence
Summary Indicator Report Data View Options
Why Is This Important?
Dating violence is a widespread issue that has serious long-term and short-term effects. Many teens do not report it because they are afraid to tell friends and family. Dating violence can have a negative effect on health throughout life. Youth who are victims are more likely to experience symptoms of depression and anxiety, engage in unhealthy behaviors, like using tobacco, drugs, and alcohol, or exhibit antisocial behaviors and think about suicide. Youth who are victims of dating violence in high school are at higher risk for victimization during college.
Definition
Dating violence is a type of intimate partner violence. It occurs between two people in a close relationship. The nature of dating violence can be physical, emotional, or sexual. Physical dating violence occurs when a partner is pinched, hit, shoved, slapped, punched, or kicked.
Data Sources
- U.S. data source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data
(https://nccd.cdc.gov/Youthonline) - New Mexico Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey, New Mexico Department of Health and Public Education Department.
How the Measure is Calculated
| Numerator: | Number of high school students who answered with a number greater than zero to the question, "During the past 12 months, how many times did someone you were dating or going out with physically hurt you on purpose? (Count such things as being hit, slammed into something, or injured with an object or weapon.)" |
| Denominator: | Number of NM High school students who completed the 2015 Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey. |
How Do We Compare With the U.S.?
Data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey indicate that 8.6% of high school students in NM who dated have experienced physical dating violence in the past 12 months, compared to 9.6% of students in the US.
What Is Being Done?
During FY16, NMDOH OIP funded 11 sexual and dating violence prevention programs in six communities. Evaluation data indicate that programs were successful in changing in attitudes and beliefs around rape myth, gender norms, and couple violence.
Evidence-based Practices
Strategies that promote healthy relationships are vital to prevent dating violence. During the preteen and teen years, young people are learning skills they need to form positive relationships with others. This is an ideal time to promote healthy relationships and prevent patterns of dating violence that can last into adulthood. Many prevention strategies are proven to prevent or reduce dating violence. Some effective school-based programs change norms, improve problem-solving, and address dating violence in addition to other youth risk behaviors, such as substance use and sexual risk behaviors. Other programs prevent dating violence through changes to the school environment or training influential adults, like parents/caregivers and coaches, to work with youth to prevent dating violence.
Available Services
CDC Dating Matters: Strategies to Promote Healthy Teen Relationships- www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/datingmatters CDC Teen Dating Violence Infographic www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/intimatepartner violence/teen_dating_violence_infographic.html CDC Stop SV Technical Package https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/sv-prevention-technical-package.pdf National Dating Abuse Helpline and Love is Respect - www.loveisrespect.org; 1-866-331-9474 National Domestic Violence Hotline - 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) National Sexual Assault Hotline - 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) National Sexual Violence Resource Center - www.nsvrc.org
More Resources
https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/teen-dating-violence-factsheet-a.pdf