Dating violence young women in danger

20-May-2020 20:45

Since this is often their first love or serious relationship, many young people may not know the red flags or identify problematic behaviors. As young women and college interns at the National Network to End Domestic Violence, the victims of dating violence are our friends and classmates; they are the familiar faces on the quad or in the library.We know people in our lives who have experienced dating violence and the odds are that you or someone you know has too. We speak up when our friends make jokes about a drunk girl being ‘easy,’ and we offer support to a friend who is being abused.In fact, nearly 1.5 million high school students experience physical abuse from a dating partner each year and more than half of the women who are raped are under the age of 18. It is the use of power and control over one individual by someone who is supposed to care about her or him.Dating violence is not only just physical, but can also be emotional and psychological abuse and include behaviors such as stalking, isolation of friends and family, and being possessive.

Then, it's less shocking and harder to leave when verbal abuse begins, or when it segues into physical abuse.Most people have their first relationships while in high school or college.It’s new, exciting, thrilling, sometimes sexual, and perfectly normal.There's less social acceptance of it; women are more economically independent and mobile and therefore better able to leave; and there are more services for survivors, including Ray-Jones's hotline, which you can call at 1-800-799-7233 or find online (they also do live chats). "I've worked with so many women who have been victims, and women feel so much shame and embarrassment over the fact that they love someone who is abusive to them," Ray-Jones says.

That's been good for both women and men: Fewer women are victims than in previous decades, and fewer abusive men are killed by their wives — now, the wives can leave, instead of thinking murder is the only way out. "They still see a glimpse of the person they fell in love with. Domestic violence happens when someone flies out of control.

Recently, the White House released its “1 is 2 Many” campaign to raise awareness on dating violence.