Like adult domestic violence, teen dating violence includes a pattern of assaultive and coercive behavior that can include physical and sexual violence, stalking, verbal and emotional abuse, and intimidation. However, the nature of the relationship, dynamics of the violence, interventions needed, and how victims and perpetrators experience the court system can be quite different from adults. Currently, the justice system and service models struggle to meet the unique needs of the teen population. The absence of tools to assess the dangerousness of teen offenders poses challenges for the courts and their communities. With the number of teens disclosing some experience with dating violence, the justice system must take an active role in improving the way it identifies and responds to these cases.
This project was supported by grant 2018-TA-AX-K033 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.