Teen Dating Violence
By sharing information, increasing awareness, and offering support, we can work together as a community in True North’s overall mission of interrupting the cycle of violence through empowerment, to create a safe environment for all.
What Can Teen Dating Violence Look Like?
Cyber Violence a Growing Problem
Cyber (online) violence is the use of internet-connected devices and/or social media to intentionally cause harm to others. According to Statistics Canada, 1 in 5 women experience online harassment in Canada; 33% of those are young women between the ages of 15 and 24 (Government of Canada, 2022).
Teen Dating Violence is often perpetuated digitally, through text, social media, and other networking apps (like Snapchat). Cyber violence may look like hacking, impersonation, monitoring, or sharing rumours/gossip in order to humiliate and isolate an individual in daily life.
Teen Dating Violence
“Adolescence is a key period of identity development where youth acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to develop healthy relationships, all while experiencing substantial physical, cognitive, emotional and social changes. As such the negative effects associated with experiencing teen dating violence can be far reaching and long lasting” (Statistics Canada, 2024).
Teen dating violence is a growing issue.
Talk to your teen about healthy relationships. Get comfortable with the uncomfortable; foster a safe space for your teen to ask questions about sex, relationships, and violence. Openly talk about and challenge negative images/themes about relationships that your teen might be learning from peers, friends, or social media. Starting the conversation is a great way to reduce stigma!
Get involved in your teen’s cyber usage & be aware of what they’re watching, who they’re talking to, and what they might be sharing. Not only are youth subject to many potentially harmful or dangerous attitudes about sex and relationships over social media, but 13% of teens have reported receiving unwanted sexually suggestive images or messages (Statistics Canada, 2024).
Teen Dating Violence PSA
What can caregivers do about Teen Dating Violence?
- Be active in your teen’s cyber usage. Be aware of what they’re watching, who they’re talking to, and what they might be sharing.
- Foster a safe space that your teen feels comfortable going to for help and support.
- Talk about healthy & unhealthy relationships and challenge negative images/themes that might support violence.
- Listen and give nonjudgmental support; if your teen opens up about experiencing cyber violence, reassure them that no one deserves to experience abuse (even if they’ve made a mistake)