Teen dating violence victims may have a history of abuse

 

Teens and young adults have the highest risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease (STD), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Furthermore, members of this population have a higher chance of being the victims of dating violence. A 2005 study in the journal Pediatrics found that as many as one in three sexually active girls has experienced this type of violence.

The study also discovered that female victims of dating violence are two and a half times more likely to be diagnosed with an STD at some point in their lives. Recently, researchers from the University of New Hampshire Crimes Against Children Research Center discovered that victims of teen dating violence are overwhelmingly likely to have experienced some other forms of abuse in their past, including sexual.

"We were genuinely surprised how interconnected teen dating violence turned out to be with other forms of victimization. We thought there would be overlap but had no idea that all dating violence victims are dealing with other forms of violence and abuse as well," said the center's research associate Sherry Hamby, lead author of the study.

The scientists found that, most of the time, the other forms of violence that these teens were experiencing were not at the hand of their partner, but rather a caregiver. Also, young people who have been victims of cyberbullying were four times more likely to experience dating violence.

These findings suggest that victims of dating violence may need counseling for issues related to past abuse. Furthermore, young people who have been the victims of child abuse should be a target of anti-dating violence campaigns.