Dating Statistics Fact Sheet - National - Updated 12.4.2017

DATING ABUSE STATISTICS
Dating abuse affects people from all ages, backgrounds and identities, which is why it is important
to talk about how abuse can happen in young people’s relationships. Check out these statistics:
Dating Abuse Is a Public Health Crisis
• One in three high school students experience either physical or sexual violence, or both,
that is perpetrated by someone they are dating or going out with.i
• Young women between the ages of 18 - 24 experience the highest rate of intimate partner
violence, almost double the national average.ii
• One in ten high school students has been purposefully hit, slapped or physically hurt by a
boyfriend or girlfriend.iii
• Lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) youth are more likely to experience physical and
psychological dating abuse, sexual coercion, and cyber dating abuse than their
heterosexual peers.iv
The Abuse Starts Early
• More than half of women (69.5%) and men (53.6%) who have been physically or sexually
abused, or stalked by a dating partner, first experienced abuse between the ages of 11-24.v
• Of the 8.5% of middle school students who report having bullied a classmate, nearly 1 in 5
have been a victim of dating abuse.vi
• Nearly half of female and 1 in 4 male high school students who report experiencing sexual
or physical abuse by a dating partner, have also been bullied electronically.vii
The Impact is Severe

• Among male high school students who have experienced sexual and physical abuse by a
dating partner, more than 1 in 4 have seriously contemplated suicide, and almost as many
have attempted suicide.viii
• Among female high school students who have experienced sexual and physical abuse by a
dating partner, nearly half have seriously contemplated suicide, and more than 1 in 4 have
attempted suicide.ix
• High school girls who have experienced dating abuse are 2.6 times more likely to report an
STI diagnosis.x
Break the Cycle inspires and supports young people to build healthy relationships and create a culture without
abuse. Our dynamic and diverse team believes that all young people deserve to live in a world where they can thrive.
Our values and work centers young people and their lived realities, leadership, vision, and hopes for the future.
The Impact is Severe
• High school students who have been hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by their
partner earned grades of C and D twice as often as earning grades of A or B.xi
• Women who have experienced sexual assault, physical abuse, or stalking by an intimate
partner are three times more likely to report poor mental health.xii
It’s Not Just Teens

• An estimated 20 - 25 percent of female college students will experience attempted or
completed rape before graduation,xiii and those are only the ones who self-disclose.
• Nearly half (43%) of all college women and one third (28%) of college men report having
experienced either abuse or controlling behaviors in a dating relationship.xiv
The Time to Talk Is Now

• Education and raising awareness is important! More than half (58%) of college students do
not know how to help someone who is experiencing dating abuse, and nearly all (89%) are
not confident in their ability to recognize the warning signs.xv
• More than half of all college students report experiencing either abuse or controlling
behaviors in a dating relationship while in college, with 70% reporting they were not aware
they were in an abusive relationship at the time.xvi
i
Vagi, K. J., Olsen, E. O. M., Basile, K. C., & Vivolo-Kantor, A. M. (2015). Teen dating violence (physical and sexual) among US high school students:
findings from the 2013 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey. JAMA Pediatrics, 169 (5), 474-482.
ii
Breiding, M.J., Chen J., & Black, M.C. (2014). Intimate Partner Violence in the United States — 2010. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury
Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
iii
Kann, L., Kinchen, S., Shanklin, S.L., Flint, K.H., Hawkins, J., Harris, W.A., Lowry, R., O'Malley, E., McManus, T., Chyen, D., Whittle, L., Taylor, E.,
Demissie, Z., Brener, N., Thornton, J., Moore, J., & Zaza, S. (2014). Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Report - United States, 2013. US Department of
Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
iv
Dank, M., Lachman, P., Zweig, J. M., & Yahner, J. (2014). Dating violence experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth. Journal of
Youth and Adolescence, 43 (5), 846-857.
v
vi
Yahner, J. Y., Dank, M., Zweig, J.M., Lachman, P. (2015). The Co-Occurrence of Physical and Cyber Dating Violence and Bullying Among Teens.
Journal of Interpersonal Violence 30 (7), 1079-1089.
vii
Vagi, K. J., Olsen, E. O. M., Basile, K. C., & Vivolo-Kantor, A. M. (2015). Teen dating violence (physical and sexual) among US high school students:
findings from the 2013 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey. JAMA Pediatrics, 169 (5), 474-482.
viii
Ibid.
ix
Ibid.
x
Decker, M. R., Silverman, J. G., & Raj, A. (2005). Dating Violence and Sexually Transmitted Disease/HIV Testing and Diagnosis Among Adolescent
Females. Pediatrics, 116 (2), 272-276.
xi
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010). Unintentional Injury and Violence-Related Behaviors and Academic Achievement. Retrieved
March 17, 2017 from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/health_and_academics/pdf/unintentional_injury_violence.pdf.
xii
xiii
Fisher, B.S., Cullen, F.T., & Turner, M.G. (2000). The sexual victimization of college women. (NIJ Publication No. 182369). Washington, DC: U.S.
Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice.
xiv
Fifth & Pacific Companies, Inc. (Formerly: Liz Claiborne, Inc.), Conducted by Knowledge Networks. (June 2011). College Dating Violence and Abuse
Poll. Retrieved from https://www.breakthecycle.org/surveys.Poll,” Available at: https://www.breakthecycle.org/surveys.
xv
Ibid
xvi
Ibid

Dating Statistics Fact Sheet - National - Updated 12.4.2017

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DATING ABUSE STATISTICS

Dating Abuse Is a Public Health Crisis

The Abuse Starts Early

The Impact is Severe

It’s Not Just Teens

The Time to Talk Is Now

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