2010 Teen Dating Violence Survey
During the spring of 2010, RESPECT presented educational theatre presentations to 1,471 6th – 12th grade students in southwest Iowa. Forty-eight percent of students were female, fifty-two percent male.
- 73% of students reported they currently or have previously been involved in dating relationships.
- 12% reported they had been afraid on a date.
- 18% reported they had been physically abused by a date at least once.
- 88% of the students who were physically abused did not ask for help.
- 24% reported they had been verbally abused by a date at least once.
- 82% of the students who were verbally abused did not ask for help.
- 12% reported they had been sexually abused by a date at least once.
- 87% of the students who were sexually abused did not ask for help.
- 16% of students reported they had been abusive to a partner.
- 35% reported they knew at least one person who had been in an abusive relationship.
Of the students participating in the RESPECT programming:
- 85% reported that the play helped them learn more about teen dating violence and how to prevent it.
- 80% reported that the discussion after the play helped them learn more about teen dating violence and how to prevent it.
- 83% reported that they will use the information they learned in their own relationships.
Students completed surveys prior to RESPECT programming and then filled out the surveys after viewing the programming.
These changes reflect statistically significant changes in learning and self-reporting attitudes.
Thank you to everybody who took part in conducting, reviewing, and analyzing these encouraging results!