Teens

Teens experience many issues during their transition into adulthood. Because of teens’ unique phase in life, Independence House offers services tailored for teens who have witnessed domestic violence in their homes, are survivors of sexual abuse/assault, or are involved in dating relationships characterized by unhealthy interaction or violence.

Many adolescents receiving services at Independence House are seeking help with teen dating violence. Dating abuse is not an argument every once in a while or a bad mood after a bad day. Dating abuse (or relationship abuse) is a pattern of controlling behavior that someone uses against a boyfriend or girlfriend.*

Abuse can cause injury and even death but it does not have to be physical. It can include verbal and emotional abuse; constant insults; isolation from family and friends; name-calling; pressure for sex or sexual abuse; constant calling/texting; insisting on reading a partner’s texts; online stalking; frequent monitoring of social networking sites (facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc,); cyber slander; or controlling what someone wears, where they go or who they talk to.*

Studies indicate that 1 in 3 teens experiences some form of abuse in their romantic relationships, including verbal and emotional abuse.

According to Love is respect, 1 in 5 teens who has been in a serious relationship reports being hit, slapped or pushed by a partner. Forty percent (40%) of teenage girls, ages 14-17, know someone their age who has been hit or beaten by their partner.

Teens may also experience sexual abuse, sexual assault and/or rape. According to the Department of Justice 2004 Crime Victimization Survey, 15 percent of sexual assault victims are under the age of 12, while 29 percent are between the ages of 12 and 17.

Through a grant from the Federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), Independence House offers crisis intervention; information and referral; individual and group counseling; and advocacy for adolescents affected by domestic violence, dating abuse or sexual assault.

All services are free of charge and available to both female and male clients. Teens engaging in at-risk behaviors involving abuse to others will be referred to appropriate services in our community.