Domestic violence is not a serious problem among teenagers.
FACT: In one recent study, for students who had ever dated, 36% of the girls and 37% of the boys reported they had experienced physical violence in the dating relationship. (Molidor, C. & Tolman, R. (1998).Gender and contextual factors in adolescent dating violence. Violence Against Women, 4 (2), 180-194.)
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is not a serious problem among same sex couples.
FACT: The existing statistical evidence indicates that intimate partner violence affects approximately one-quarter to one-half of all same-sex relationships… These rates are similar to estimates of abuse in heterosexual relationships (Murray, Mobley, Buford and Seaman-DeJohn, “Same-Sex Intimate Partner Violence: Dynamics, Social Context and Counseling Implications” Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling, Vol 1(4) 2006/2007).
It should be easy for a victim to leave his/her abusive partner.
FACT: There are many complicated reasons why it’s difficult for a person to leave an abusive partner. One very common reason is fear - women who leave abusers are at a 75% greater chance of being killed by the abuser than those who stay. (U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics' National Crime Victimization Survey, 1995.)
Children are not affected by living in a home with domestic violence.
FACT: 50% of men who abuse their wives also abuse their children. (Stacy, W. and Schupe, A., The Family Secret, Beacon Press, Boston, MA, 1983.) A child who lives in a family where there is violence between parents is 15 times more likely to be abused. (L. Bergman, "Dating violence among high school students," Social Work 37 (1), 1992.)
Domestic violence agencies only serve adult, heterosexual women.
FACT: Lutheran Settlement House’s Bilingual Domestic Violence Program serves any victim of domestic violence regardless of gender or sexual orientation: female, male, transgender, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or heterosexual. We serve teenage victims of dating violence as well.
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