Indiana ranks higher in teen dating violence than the national average, according to the Adolescent Dating Violence in Indiana study conducted by Ball State University and the Northeast Indiana Area Health Education Center.
With Indiana having such a high rate of teen dating violence, organizations in Indianapolis have put more focus on the issue.
Colleen Yeakles, coordinator of Prevention Initiatives at the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ICADV), said teen-dating violence has always been prevalent.
“I think teen-dating violence has been a problem as long as adult domestic violence has been,” Yeakles said. “We just haven’t been able to talk about it, but it’s been a problem forever.”
Terry Moore, executive director and co-founder of Beacon of Hope, agrees and said they have seen a rise in teen-dating violence in the last four years.
According to the Ball State University study, teen-dating violence is “the physical, sexual, or psychological and/or emotional violence within a dating relationship, as well as stalking.”
In 2011, Indiana high school students reported 11.3 percent of teen dating violence, compared to 9.4 percent of teens reporting dating violence in the U.S.
Yeakles said there are many reasons why teens submit themselves to dating violence.
“We have normalized violence to such a degree that we don’t even see it unless it’s extreme,” Yeakles said. “We accept power and discriminatory power based on gender, on race and on sexual orientation. We just allow that to happen.”
Moore agrees, and believes there is more reasoning to why teens submit themselves to dating violence.
“The No. 1 reason why teens and women have a hard time getting out of domestic violence situations is because of fear,” Moore said. “Fear of their life, fear of losing their reputation and fear of what might happen to their other family members.”
Moore also said—from personal experience—some partners begin to put down the woman, therefore breaking her self-esteem and causing her to believe the abusive partner is right, which can also be a reason for not leaving the violent situation.
Although some teens want to leave their violent relationship, Yeakle said some are scared to go to friends, family or other adults.
“We’ve (adults) been a little less sensitive when it comes to teens because we’re used to telling minors what we need to do,” she said. “We mean well, our intentions are good we just want to protect. We’re not making it better. That’s why teens are resistant to tell us because they don’t believe we can make it better for them.”
Yeakle suggests if teens are afraid and want anonymous support to call the ICADV has a crisis line (which does not always have to be an immediate crisis) or visit breakthecycle.org.
However, both ICADV and Beacon of Hope offer more help for teens in violent relationships.
Beacon of Hope offers a Teen Talk Outreach Program (TTOP), which partners with schools and other organizations to tell students about teen dating violence. The students are also given a pre-test about dating violence and a post-test, with one question being if they are in a violent relationship.
“What’s amazing is they checked previously that they’re not, and at the end they check that they are,” Moore said. “We offer them an opportunity to talk to our teen advocate just to exchange information and ask more questions.”
Moore also said that the TTOP isn’t just for teens who are experiencing this, but teens who suspect their friends are victims. The TTOP is also aiming to present in public schools this coming year, along with making more students aware of the program.
ICADV has also made more strides to prevent teen dating violence, such as beginning the Youth Advisory Council. ICADV has also worked with the YWCA, Boys & Girls Club and other community organizations to have discussions and make sure respectful behavior conversations happen, even at an early childhood level.
“My bottom line is, teen dating violence like adult dating violence, is preventable,” Yeakle said. “They’re human decisions and we can change those decisions. I believe we can change those decisions by having conversations.”
