Teen Dating Violence
NCSL, National Conference of State Legislatures
Updated July 1st, 2011
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that one in 11 adolescents say they have been the victim of physical dating violence; a separate survey indicated that one in four teens self-report physical, verbal, emotional or sexual abuse every year. African American and Hispanic students report higher rates of dating violence than white students. Healthy or unhealthy relationship habits develop early. Approximately 72 percent of 8th and 9th graders report “dating.” By the time these students get to high school, more than half of them say they see dating violence among their peers. Destructive relationships during the teen years can lead to life-long unhealthy relationship practices, may disrupt normal development, and can contribute to other unhealthy behaviors in teens that, if left unchecked, can lead to problems over a lifetime. The CDC’s 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System survey indicates that adolescents who report being physically hurt in a dating relationship were also more likely to report that they engage in risky sexual behavior, binge drink, use drugs, attempt suicide, and participate in physical fights.
Prevention initiatives include early education about healthy dating practices. Choose Respect, a CDC initiative aimed at adolescents, raises awareness about teen dating violence and promotes healthy relationship practices by challenging harmful beliefs about dating violence.
Policymakers can play a role in preventing teen dating violence. At least 14 states have laws that urge or require school boards to develop curriculum on teen dating violence. Many states have also adopted teen dating violence awareness weeks or months, in an effort to draw the public’s attention to a national campaign that promotes prevention, safe dating practices and offers information and resources. In 2011 at least eight states have introduced legislation to address teen dating violence.
2011 Introduced Legislation | State Laws | Dating Violence Postcard |
Updated July 1, 2011
Introduced Legislation-2011 Bills
| State | Bill Description |
| California | SB 13 Would authorize a school district to provide teen dating violence prevention education as a part of the sexual health and health education programs for students in grades seven through 12. PendingAB 1373 Would enact the Teen Dating Violence Prevention Education Act of 2011, which would authorize school districts to provide healthy relationships and teen dating violence prevention education programs to pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, through curricular, extracurricular, and school climate improvement activities. Pending |
| Georgia | SB 46 Would require each local board of education to provide a curriculum relating to dating violence and requires the adoption of a policy against dating violence. (Similar to HB 283) Pending |
| Maryland | HB 386 Would require the state board of education to educate public school students about dating violence. (Similar to SB 667) Failed |
| New York | SB 708 Would require dating violence education and dating violence policies in school districts, board of cooperative educational services and county vocational education and extension boards. Defines dating violence as a pattern of behavior where one person uses threats of, or actually uses, physical, sexual, verbal or emotional abuse to control his or her dating partner and includes threats made by cell phone, text message, internet, and other electronic means. PendingAB 4596 Would require dating violence education and dating violence policies in school districts, board of cooperative educational services and county vocational education and extension boards. Pending
SB 3079 Would establish the temporary state commission on intimate partner violence to study, report on and make recommendations on the prevalence, causes, effects, risks and costs of such violence. Includes teen dating violence as a type of intimate partner violence. Pending |
| Oklahoma | HB 1461 Would amend current law to require the Safe Schools Committee to study and make recommendations regarding student harassment, intimidation, bullying, teen dating violence or cyberbullying. Failed |
| Oregon | HB 2438 Would direct school district board to adopt policy related to teen dating violence. Also would direct department of justice to use moneys in Oregon Domestic and Sexual Violence Services Fund to provide state and local services related to teen dating violence and to conduct study related to teen dating violence. Pending |
| Texas | HB 2496 Would create a teen dating violence court program. Enacted |
| Virginia | SB 906 Would require the Standards of Learning objectives related to dating violence and the characteristics of abusive relationships to be taught at least once during middle school and at least twice during high school. Enacted, Chapter 634HB 2340 Would expand those eligible to obtain a preliminary protective order in cases of family abuse to include people who have been subjected to dating relationship abuse. Failed |
State Laws on Teen Dating Violence
| State | Description of Law |
| Connecticut | 2010 Conn. Acts, P.A. 91Includes teen dating violence and domestic violence education as part of the in-service training program for certified teachers, administrators and pupil personnel. (HB 5315 of 2010)2010 Conn. Acts, P.A. 137 Requires the Commissioner of Public Health to develop one public service announcement issued by the Department of Public Health through a televised broadcast for the purpose of preventing teen dating and family violence. (HB 5246 of 2010) |
| Florida | 2010 Fla. Laws, Chap. 217Requires a comprehensive health education taught in the public schools to include a component on teen dating violence and abuse for students in grades 7 through 12. Would require district school boards to adopt and implement a dating violence and abuse policy and provides policy requirements. Also would require the Department of Education to develop a model policy that includes school personnel training. (SB 642 and HB 467 of 2010)Fla. Stat. § 784.046 A victim of dating violence that has reasonable cause to believe he or she is in imminent danger of becoming the victim of another act of dating violence, or any person who has reasonable cause to believe he or she is in imminent danger of becoming the victim of an act of dating violence, or the parent or legal guardian of any minor child who is living at home and who seeks an injunction for protection against dating violence on behalf of that minor child, has standing in the circuit court to file a restraining order against the accused dating violence abuser. |
| Georgia | Ga. Code Ann. § 20-2-314 (2003 SB346) The State Board of Education is required to develop a rape prevention and personal safety education program and a program for preventing teen dating violence for grades 8 through 12. Local boards may implement such programs at any time and for any grade level local boards find appropriate, and the state board shall encourage the implementation of such programs. In addition, the state board shall make information regarding such programs available to the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. |
| Illinois | Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 105, §110/3 (2009 HB 973) Amends the Critical Health Problems and Comprehensive Health Education Act. Provides that the Comprehensive Health Education Program may include instruction on teen dating violence for specified grade levels. Ill. Laws, P.A. 95-876 (2007 SB2023 and HB1330) Requires the State Board of Education to convene an Ensuring Success in School Task Force to develop policies and procedures for addressing the educational and related needs of youth who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence to ensure their ability to stay in school, and successfully complete their education. Adds one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate and one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives to the Task Force. The Task Force will issue a final report to the General Assembly in Spring of 2009. |
| Massachusetts | 2010 Mass. Acts, Chap. 256 (2010 SB 2583) Requires school districts to implement a specific policy to address teen dating violence in public schools. These policies are required to clearly state that teen dating violence will not be tolerated, and need to include guidelines for addressing alleged incidents of teen dating violence.2010 Mass. Acts, Chap. 92 (2010 SB 2404) Requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to establish standards that will provide for instruction in the issues of nutrition, physical education, AIDS education, violence prevention, including teen dating violence, bullying prevention, conflict resolution and drug, alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention. |
| Nebraska | Neb. Rev. Stat.§ 43 Sec. 79-2,142 (2009 LB 63) (originally LB 64, but added to LB 63 during session) Section 43-47 adopts the Lindsay Burke Act passed in Rhode Island in 2007. Would require the state department of education to develop a model policy for schools to address teen dating violence through their curriculum. |
| New Jersey | N.J. Stat. Ann. §18A:35-4.23 (2003 SB 487 and AB 3081) Creates the Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Education Fund and allows the board of education to teach the psychology and dynamics of teen dating violence when appropriate in elementary, middle and high school. |
| Ohio | Ohio Rev. Code Ann. §3313.60, 3313.666, and 3319.073 (2009 HB 19) Enacts the Tina Croucher Act. Requires school districts to adopt a dating violence prevention policy and to include dating violence prevention education within the health education curriculum.2007 HB119 (Appropriations Bill) Requires the Franklin County Child and Family Health Services to support the Compdrug Teen Dating Violence Prevention Project. Comp Drug Inc. is an organization that offers services in prevention, intervention and treatment programs for persons with substance abuse problems and the largest provider of institutional and community based corrections programs. |
| Pennsylvania | 2010 Pa. Laws, Act 104 Amends the terms and courses of study in the Public School Code of 1949 and provides for dating violence education. (HB 101 of 2010) |
| Rhode Island | R.I. Gen. Laws §16-85, 16-21-30, and 16-22-24 (2007 SB 875 and HB6166) Establishes the Lindsay Anne Burke Act which requires the Department of Education to develop a model dating violence policy to assist school districts in developing policies for dating violence reporting and response. The model policy shall be implemented on or before April 1, 2008. Each school district’s policy should include a policy for responding to incidents of dating violence and to provide dating violence education to students, parents, staff, faculty and administrators, in order to prevent dating violence and to address incidents involving dating violence. Click here to view Rhode Island Department of Education’s policy on teen dating violence. |
| Tennessee | Tenn. Code Ann. §49.1-220 (2006 SB 595) This act urges the Department of Education to develop a sexual violence/teen dating violence awareness curriculum for presentation at least once in grades 7 and 8 and at least once and preferably twice in grades 9 through 12. The curriculum is intended to increase awareness of teen dating violence and sexual violence, including rape prevention strategies, resources available, etc. |
| Texas | Tex. Education Code Ann. §37.0821 (2007 HB121) Schools are required to develop and implement a dating violence policy. The school policy should provide training for teachers and administrators and awareness education for students and parents. It should also enforce protective orders or school based alternative including counseling for affected students. The policy is also required to addressing safety planning. |
| Virginia | Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-207.1 (2007 HB 1916) Develops curriculum guidelines for teaching teen dating violence and all family life education in schools. The guidelines promote parental involvement, foster positive self concepts and provide mechanisms for coping with peer pressure and the stresses of modern living according to the students’ developmental stages and abilities. The Board shall also establish requirements for appropriate training for teachers of family life education, which shall include training in instructional elements to support the various curriculum components. |
| Washington | Wash. Rev. Code §28A.300.185 (2005 HB 1252) Requires the state school superintendent to develop a model curriculum. The model curriculum shall include, but is not limited to, instruction on developing conflict management skills, communication skills, domestic violence and dating violence, financial responsibility, and parenting responsibility. |
Percentage of High School Students Who Experienced Dating Violence*
Teen Dating Violence
Dating violence is the physical, sexual or psychological/emotional violence that occurs within a dating relationship. Destructive relationships during the teen years can lead to lifelong unhealthy relationship practices, may disrupt normal development, and can contribute to other unhealthy behaviors in teens that can lead to chronic mental and physical health conditions in adulthood. Teens who were physically hurt by a dating partner were more likely to say they engage in risky sexual behavior, binge drink, use drugs, attempt suicide, and participate in physical fights.
- One in 10 adolescents reports being a victim of physical dating violence.
- One in 4 adolescents report verbal, physical, emotional or sexual abuse each year.
- About 72 percent of eighth and ninth graders report “dating.”
- Teen dating abuse most often takes place in the home of one of the partners.
Adolescence is a “window of opportunity” for prevention, and policymakers can play a role in preventing teen dating violence. Laws in at lesat 14 states urge or require school boards to develop curriculum on teen dating violence and at least 8 states considered legislation in 2011. States also have adopted teen dating violence awareness weeks or months to bring attention to prevention and safe dating practices.
Options for Policymakers
- Support evidence-based programs in schools and communities, such as Safe Dates and Fourth R, that are proven to prevent and intervene in violent teen dating relationships. Programs are more likely to lower the incidence of teen dating violence when science informs their curricula.
- Work with health officials to gather surveillance data in states that do not collect information on teen dating violence.
- Analyze and evaluate existing state and local policies and practices to identify effective strategies to prevent teen dating violence.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 2009.
