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## Other Youth Topics

## Breadcrumb

            -  Youth Topics 
            -  Dating Violence Prevention 
            -           Legal Responses to Teen Dating Violence      

# Legal Responses to Teen Dating Violence

Not only do more teens than adults keep dating violence a secret, the majority of teen victims never obtain mental health services, seek protection in shelters, or pursue legal help, such as cases against abusers and protection orders.1 These findings are exacerbated for male survivors, who are more than two times less likely than girls to seek help and/or report. 2 When teens do seek help regarding dating violence victimization, they typically turn to peers rather than turning to adults or going through a formal reporting process.

The lack of teens’ help-seeking behavior is particularly concerning given the fact that youth who are victimized by and exposed to violence have a higher likelihood of future delinquent behavior and involvement with the juvenile justice system than those who are not. 3 Research has proven that the presence of supportive peer and adult allies, strong and open avenues of communication where youth feel comfortable expressing their issues, and enrollment in schools that address not only the academic needs of youth but also their social and emotional needs all serve as protective factors against youth delinquency. 4 Therefore, receiving informal and formal support following exposure to teen dating violence could serve as a significant protective factor against future violence and delinquency for youth.

Schools and youth-serving organizations should consider implementing accessible, uncomplicated, straightforward formalized reporting mechanisms to increase the number of youth who receive help. 5 Establishing peer support networks to spread awareness of dating violence prevention efforts and offer support to survivors is also recommended. 6

Access issues contribute to the lower rate of pursuing legal recourse among teens. Such barriers include requirements related to age (e.g., protective orders are not available for minors), relationship status (e.g., limiting the definition of domestic abuse to abuse between partners who are married, cohabitate, or have children together), and parental consent (e.g., not allowing access to those teens who will not or cannot tell their parents about the abuse).7 For a description of state legal responses to teen dating violence, go to the nonprofit group Break the Cycle’s *2010 State Law Report Cards: A National Survey of Teen Dating Violence Laws*.

## References

1 Break the Cycle, 2008; Lachman, Zweig, Dank & Yahner, 20192 Thornberry, 2008; Cuevas et al., 20133 Risk & Protective Factors, n. d4 Lachman, Zweig, Dank, & Yahner, 20195 Lachman, Zweig, Dank, & Yahner, 20196 Break the Cycle, 2010; Saperstein, 2005

## Other Resources on this Topic

### Agencies 

                          - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
                          - National Institute of Justice
                          - Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
                          - Office of Violence Against Women

### Announcements 

                          - 2022 National Crime Victims’ Service Awards Recipients Announced
                          - Domestic Violence Awareness Month
                          - June is Internet Safety Month
                          - Justice Department Announces $21.72 Million to Reduce Sexual and Domestic Violence on Campus, Support Children and Youth, and Engage Men and Boys as Allies
                          - National Adolescent Health Month Resources
                          - Recent Event: New Research Awards Aim to Prevent Youth Violence, Sexual Violence, and Child Abuse and Neglect
                          - Report: Dating Violence Reported by High School Students in 2017
                          - Resource: Campus Safety Special Feature
                          - Resource: Considering Family Context as an Important Element in the Prevention and Intervention of the Development of Teen Dating Violence
                          - Resource: Fact Sheet on Stalking Among College Students
                          - Resource: Healthy Native Youth Stand-Alone Lessons
                          - Resource: Intersection of Human Trafficking, Youth Homelessness, Intimate Partner Violence, and Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Website
                          - Resource: Let's Talk Podcast - The Offical National Runaway Safeline Podcast
                          - Resource: Literature Review on Teen Dating Violence
                          - Resource: NCFY
                          - Resource: Preventing Intimate Partner Violence Across the Lifespan: A Technical Package of Programs, Policies, and Practices
                          - Resource: Runaway & Homeless Youth and Relationship Violence Toolkit
                          - Resource: Talking is Power: Tools for Parents
                          - Resource: Teen Dating Violence
                          - Resource: Teen Dating Violence Literature Review
                          - Resource: Tip Sheets on Everyday Parenting Topics
                          - Resource: Tips for Parents and Caregivers of Teens
                          - Resource: Trends in Youth Arrests for Violent Crimes
                          - Resource: What Has Longitudinal Research on Teen Dating Violence Taught Us?
                          - Resource: Youth Advisory Councils
                          - Youth Voices Have Moved to YE4C

### Data Sources 

                          - 2011-2021 YRBS Data Summary and Trends Report
                          - Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)

### Departments 

                          - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

### Feature Articles 

                          - Dating Matters: Understanding Teen Dating Violence Prevention
                          - February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
                          - Just Launched! Redesigned YE4C
                          - Justice Department Research Shows That School-Level Interventions Reduce Dating Violence by up to 50 Percent
                          - National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
                          - Promoting Positive Adolescent Health Behaviors and Outcomes: Thriving in the 21st Century
                          - Teen Dating Relationships: Opportunities for Youth to Define What's Healthy and Unhealthy
                          - Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
                          - Teen Dating Violence Prevention
                          - The Halls Web Series

### Hotlines 

                          - National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline

### Programs 

                          - Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB)
                          - Preventing Teen Dating Violence and Youth Violence Program
                          - Resource: DELTA FOCUS (Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancements and Leadership Through Alliances, Focusing on Outcomes for Communities United with States) Program

### Publications 

                          - Bullying, Sexual, and Dating Violence Trajectories From Early to Late Adolescence
                          - Cultivating Evaluation Capacity: A Guide for Programs Addressing Sexual and Domestic Violence
                          - Get Smart, Get Help, Get Safe
                          - How Can Youth Workers Recognize Teen Dating Abuse?
                          - Intimate Partner Violence, 1993-2010
                          - New Report on Prevalence of Teen Dating Violence
                          - Prevalence and Characteristics of Sexual Violence, Stalking, and Intimate Partner Violence Victimization — National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, United States, 2011
                          - Q&A: The CDC Takes a Comprehensive Approach to Teen Dating Violence Prevention
                          - Special Feature: Teen Dating Violence
                          - Technology, Teen Dating Violence and Abuse, and Bullying
                          - Teen Dating Violence: How Peers Can Affect Risk & Protective Factors
                          - What Works to Prevent Teen Dating Violence?

### Resources 

                          - Report: Family and Youth Services Bureau Highlights in 2014 & 2015
                          - Report: Impact of Domestic Violence Policies and Practices on Girls and Young Women
                          - Report: National Survey of Teen Relationships and Intimate Violence
                          - Report: Predicting Intimate Partner Violence for At-Risk Young Adults and Their Romantic Partners
                          - Research Roundup: What Do We Know About Hispanic Youth and Teen Dating Violence?
                          - Resource: Considering Family Context as an Important Element in the Prevention and Intervention of the Development of Teen Dating Violence
                          - Resource: Dating Matters Interactive Guide on Informing Policy
                          - Resource: Family-Based Approaches to Preventing Teen Dating Violence Research
                          - Resource: Preventing Intimate Partner Violence Across the Lifespan: A Technical Package of Programs, Policies, and Practices
                          - Share with Youth: StrongHearts Native Helpline

### Technical Assistance 

                          - Striving to Reduce Youth Violence Everywhere

### Tools & Guides 

                          - 3 Bold Steps for School Community Change
                          - Model Programs Guide
                          - Our Revolution
                          - Problem-Oriented Guides for Police
                          - Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month Resources
                          - Updated Training: DATING MATTERS® — Understanding Teen Dating Violence Prevention

### Videos & Podcasts 

                          - 1 is 2 Many PSA
                          - 1 is 2 Many: Dating Violence PSA
                          - The Halls: Web Series

### Websites 

                          - Girls Health
                          - Teen Dating Violence
                          - Teen Dating Violence and Sexual Assault in Schools: Resources and a Call to Action

### Youth Topics 

                          - Dating Violence Prevention

## Youth Briefs

How Individualized Education Program (IEP) Transition Planning Makes a Difference for Youth with Disabilities
Youth who receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) and especially young adults of transition age, should be involved in planning for life after high school as early as possible and no later than age 16. Transition services should stem from the individual youth’s needs and strengths, ensuring that planning takes into account his or her interests, preferences, and desires for the future.

Youth Transitioning to Adulthood: How Holding Early Leadership Positions Can Make a Difference
Research links early leadership with increased self-efficacy and suggests that leadership can help youth to develop decision making and interpersonal skills that support successes in the workforce and adulthood. In addition, young leaders tend to be more involved in their communities, and have lower dropout rates than their peers. Youth leaders also show considerable benefits for their communities, providing valuable insight into the needs and interests of young people

How Trained Service Professionals and Self-Advocacy Makes a Difference for Youth with Mental Health, Substance Abuse, or Co-occurring Issues
Statistics reflecting the number of youth suffering from mental health, substance abuse, and co-occurring disorders highlight the necessity for schools, families, support staff, and communities to work together to develop targeted, coordinated, and comprehensive transition plans for young people with a history of mental health needs and/or substance abuse.

Young Adults Formerly in Foster Care: Challenges and Solutions
Nearly 30,000 youth aged out of foster care in Fiscal Year 2009, which represents nine percent of the young people involved in the foster care system that year. This transition can be challenging for youth, especially youth who have grown up in the child welfare system.

Coordinating Systems to Support Transition Age Youth with Mental Health Needs
Research has demonstrated that as many as one in five children/youth have a diagnosable mental health disorder. Read about how coordination between public service agencies can improve treatment for these youth.

Civic Engagement Strategies for Transition Age Youth
Civic engagement has the potential to empower young adults, increase their self-determination, and give them the skills and self-confidence they need to enter the workforce. Read about one youth’s experience in AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC).

## Main navigation

- Dating Violence Prevention
- Characteristics of Healthy & Unhealthy Relationships
- Prevalence
- Electronic Aggression
- Gender Considerations
- Risk Factors
- Prevention Programs
- Consequences
- Legal Responses
- Victim & Survivor Resources
- Public Awareness
- Additional Federal Resources
- References

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## Latest Resources

### Announcements

Resource: Youth Advisory Councils

Resource: What Has Longitudinal Research on Teen Dating Violence Taught Us?

Youth Voices Have Moved to YE4C

### Data Sources

2011-2021 YRBS Data Summary and Trends Report

2011-2021 YRBS Data Summary and Trends Report

2011-2021 YRBS Data Summary and Trends Report

### Feature Articles

Promoting Positive Adolescent Health Behaviors and Outcomes: Thriving in the 21st Century

Just Launched! Redesigned YE4C

Justice Department Research Shows That School-Level Interventions Reduce Dating Violence by up to 50 Percent

### Publications

What Works to Prevent Teen Dating Violence?

Teen Dating Violence: How Peers Can Affect Risk & Protective Factors

Technology, Teen Dating Violence and Abuse, and Bullying

### Resources

Report: Predicting Intimate Partner Violence for At-Risk Young Adults and Their Romantic Partners

Resource: Considering Family Context as an Important Element in the Prevention and Intervention of the Development of Teen Dating Violence

Resource: Preventing Intimate Partner Violence Across the Lifespan: A Technical Package of Programs, Policies, and Practices

### Youth Topics

Dating Violence Prevention