Groundbreaking research: Technology takes teen dating abuse to disturbing new levels

Abuse remains hidden from parents

Adapted from Liz Claiborne Inc.

February 8, 2007

A new survey on teens and dating abuse reveals that an alarming number of teens in dating relationships are being controlled, threatened and humiliated through cell phones and the Internet with unimaginable frequency. The research also reveals disturbing data that a significant majority of parents are completely unaware of this type of dating abuse and the dangers facing their teens. In response to the high levels of teen dating abuse and the severe knowledge gap between parents and their teens, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is partnering with Liz Claiborne Inc. to launch loveisrespect.org, the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline (NTDAH).
The survey, conducted by Teenage Research Unlimited (TRU) for Liz Claiborne Inc. provides startling data about parents and teens ranging from 13-18 in age.
Among the many findings:

• 71% of teens regard boyfriends/girlfriends spreading rumors about them on cell phones and social networking sites as a serious problem.
• 68% of teens say boyfriends/girlfriends sharing private or embarrassing pictures/videos on cell phones and computers is a serious problem.

Cell phone calls and texting at unimaginable frequency mean constant control day and night.

• Nearly one in four teens in a relationship (24%) communicated with their partner via cell phone or texting HOURLY between midnight and 5:00 am.
• One in three teens (30%) say they are text messaged 10, 20, 30 times an hour by a partner inquiring where they are, what they're doing, or who they're with.
• 67% of parents, whose teens were checked up on 30 times per day on their cell phone, did not know this was happening.
• 82% of parents, whose teens were e-mailed or texted 30 times per hour, did not know this was happening.

Cell phones and Internet have become weapons of teen dating abuse.One in four teens in a relationship (25%) say they have been called names, harassed, or put down by their partner through cell phones and texting.One in five teens in a relationship (22%) have been asked to engage in sex by cell phone or the Internet when they do not want to.Parents do not know about this abuse.

• 71% of parents, whose teens were afraid of not responding to a cell phone call, text or, IM message or e-mail for fear of what their partner might do, did not know this was happening.
• 67% of parents, whose teens were asked to have sex or engage in sexual acts via cell phone, email, IM, or texting when they did not want to, did not know this was happening.

Parents believe technology makes dating abuse more prevalent and more hidden, yet few are doing anything about it.

• 57% of parents believe that computers and cell phones make abuse in teen dating relationships more likely to occur.
• 53% of parents believe that computers and cell phones make abuse easier to conceal.
• Roughly one in four parents of teens (28%) say they limit their teenager's use of a cell phone and online communications with a partner.

Parents also do not know that their teens are victims of physical and sexual abuse.

• 75% of parents, whose teens had been physically hurt or bruised by their partner, did not know this was happening.
• 69% of parents, whose teens were pressured by their partner to perform oral sex, did not know this was happening.
• 58% of parents, whose teens had been hit, slapped, pushed, punched, kicked, or choked by their partner, did not know this was happening.

“When we set out to measure if the prevalence of technology has influenced the frequency and severity of teen dating abuse, we had no idea just how staggering the results would be,” said the vice president of corporate communications at Liz Claiborne, Inc. “The seriousness of this issue underscores the need for a national teen dating abuse helpline.”