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Dating abuseFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dating abuse or dating violence is defined as the perpetration or threat of an act of violence by at least one member of an unmarried couple on the other member within the context of dating or courtship. It is also when one partner tries to maintain power and control over the other through abuse/violence. This abuse/violence encompasses all forms: sexual assault sexual harassment, threats, physical violence, verbal, mental, or emotional abuse, social sabotage, and stalking. Dating violence crosses all racial, age, economic and social lines. The Center for Relationship Abuse Awareness describes dating abuse as a "pattern of abusive and coercive behaviors used to maintain power and control over a former or current intimate partner."[1] The Family & Community Development support group at eCitizen in Singapore has described what it calls tell-tale signs of an abusive relationship. These can include psychological abuse, emotional blackmail, sexual abuse, physical abuse and psychological manipulation.[2]
Profile of abuser and victimIndividuals of all walks of life can find themselves in an abusive relationship. Abuse can occur regardless of the couple's age, race, income, or other demographic traits. There are, however, many traits that abusers and victims share in common. The Centre for Promoting Alternatives to Violence describes abusers as being obsessively jealous and possessive, overly confident, having mood swings or a history of violence or temper, seeking to isolate their partner from family, friends and colleagues, and having a tendency to blame external stressors.[3] Meanwhile, victims of relationship abuse share many traits as well, including: physical signs of injury, missing time at work or school, slipping performance at work or school, changes in mood or personality, increased use of drugs or alcohol, and increasing isolation from friends and family. [4] Victims may blame themselves for any abuse that occurs or may minimize the severity of the crime. This often leads to victims choosing to stay in abusive relationships. Strauss (2005)[5] argues that while men inflict the greater share of injuries in domestic violence, researchers and society at large must not overlook the substantial minority of injuries inflicted by women. Additionally, Strauss notes that even relatively minor acts of physical aggression by women are a serious concern:
Similarly, Deborah Capaldi [6] reports that a 13-year longitudinal study found that a woman's aggression towards a man was equally important as the man's tendency towards violence in predicting the likelihood of overall violence: "Since much IPV [Intimate Partner Violence] is mutual and women as well as men initiate IPV, prevention and treatment approaches should attempt to reduce women's violence as well as men's violence. Such an approach has a much higher chance of increasing women's safety." Teen Dating ViolenceWhile abuse occurs among all age groups, abuse among teenage relationships has been identified by many government agencies and professional organizations as being unique from non-teenager dating abuse.[7] In 2006 the U.S. Senate declared the first week in February to be "National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week." [8] The U.S. Senate continued to recognize the first week in February as "National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Week" for years 2007 - 2009. In 2008 at the Summer Meeting of the National Association of Attorneys General, Attorneys General across the U.S. passed a resolution encouraging schools to develop teen dating violence awareness curriculum.[9] In 2010 the U.S. Senate declared the month of February to be "National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month" [10][11] Professional organizations that recognize teen dating violence as a unique aspect of domestic violence include the Centers for Disease Control [12], the U.S. Department of Justice [13], the American Psychological Association [14], and the American Bar Association.[8] On February 15, 2010 the Home Office launched the first U.K. campaign directed toward increasing awareness of teen dating violence. [15] [16] Teen dating violence statisticsPolls in the United States[17] and scientific studies from around the world show that substantial portions of teenagers have perpetrated and/or experienced dating violence. However, most parents do not recognize teen dating violence as a significant problem.[18] In 2005 Liz Claiborne commissioned a study indicating "1 in 3 teenagers report knowing a friend or peer who has been hit, punched, kicked, slapped, choked or physically hurt by their partner."[19] The same group performed a survey in 2006 highlighting the use of technology in teen dating violence relationships. The use of technology such as cell phones and the internet were shown to make abuse "more pervasive and hidden." [20] According to the Centers for Disease Control, a 2007 nationwide survey indicated that 9.9 percent of high school students had been "hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by their boyfriend or girlfriend in the 12 months prior to the survey." [21] Other surveys indicate that approximately one in five female high school students reports being physically and/or sexually abused by a dating partner; [22] A 2009 report by the University of Bristol and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in the U.K. revealed that "[a] third of teenage girls suffer unwanted sexual acts in a relationship and a quarter physical violence."[23] Teen dating violence legislation in the United StatesIn 2007 Texas was the first state to pass legislation requiring all school districts to implement formal policies regarding teen dating violence. [24] In 2009] sixteen states introduced teen dating violence legislation [25]; in 2010 eight states introduced comparable legislation [26]. An overview of current state laws regarding teen dating violence is available at the website for the National Conference of State Legislators. Also, the non-profit organization Break the Cycle conducts an annual survey of every State's treatment of teen dating violence and assigns a letter grade (A - F) on that State's effectiveness in their State Law Report Card. [27] Teen dating violence distinguishedWhile there are many similarities between teen dating violence and amongst adults, there are important differences. Teens are much more likely than adults to become isolated from their peers as the result of controlling behavior by their boyfriend/girlfriend.[28] For many teens the abusive relationship may be their first dating experience and have never had a "normal" dating experience with which to compare it.[29] Teens are not likely to be financially dependent on their romantic partners;[30] Teens are not as likely to have children that they must care for with their romantic partners.[30] See alsoReferences
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