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Dating Violence

Violence perpetrated by dating partners is widespread.
Domestic violence is prevalent not only in marriages, but in dating relationships. Twenty-two percent of women have been physically assaulted by an intimate partner at some time in their lives. Over one million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year.1 Females aged 16 to 24 are the group most vulnerable to domestic violence, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.2 Thirty percent of teens aged 13 to 17 report knowing someone involved in a violent relationship.3 Of pregnant teens, 26 percent report physical abuse by their boyfriends—half of whom said the violence began or intensified after their partner found out about the pregnancy.4 Thirty-two percent of college students report dating violence by a previous partner, and 21 percent report violence by a current partner.5
Dating violence is vastly underreported.
Victims may view violent acts as personal or private matters. They commonly fear retaliation from their abuser and feel police will be ineffective in dealing with the incident.6
Domestic violence costs the nation billions of dollars.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that, each year, domestic violence causes nearly $3.6 billion in healthcare costs, including both medical and mental health services. Additionally, victims of domestic violence lose an estimated $524 million in wages each year.7
Dating partners should have access to all of the legal protections granted to married people.
State law addresses domestic violence through protective orders, criminal sanctions, police procedures and training, home and work address confidentiality, services for victims, bail conditions, prohibition of insurance discrimination, unemployment insurance and child custody. Domestic violence is not exclusive to marriage. Mechanisms of control and fear that perpetuate domestic violence in marriages are also present in violent dating relationships. Only when pertinent sections of state law are expanded to include dating partners can every citizen have equal legal protection from domestic violence.
In 15 states, victims of dating violence are not protected by domestic violence laws.
Thirty-five states (AK, CA, CO, CT, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NC, ND, OK, OR, PA, RI, TN, TX, VT, WA, WV, WI, WY) and the District of Columbia include dating partners in their domestic violence laws. In the remaining 15 states, victims of dating violence have no access to the services and protections offered to victims of domestic violence who are married or live with their partners. All victims of domestic violence deserve the same opportunities to live free from abuse.
Endnotes
  1. U.S. Department of Justice, “Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women: Finding From the National Violence Against Women Survey, 1999,” 2000.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, “Intimate Partner Violence,” May 2000.
  3. Elizabeth Joyce, “Teen Dating Violence: Facing the Epidemic,” National Center for Victims of Crime, Fall 2003/Winter 2004.
  4. Stacy Brustin, “Legal Response to Teen Dating Violence,” Family Law Quarterly, 1995.
  5. Christine Sellers and Max Bromley, “Violent Behavior in College Dating Relationships,” Journal of Contemporary Justice, 1996.
  6. U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, “Violence by Intimates: Analysis of Data on Crimes by Current or Former Spouses, Boyfriends, and Girlfriends,” 1998.
  7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Costs of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in the United States,” March 2003.
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