Since despite the extensive research on rates of teen dating violence and abuse and its' consequences, less is known about help-seeking behaviors among victims, the goals of the current study were to document patterns of help-seeking behaviors among teen victims of dating violence and abuse and examine sex differences related to such patterns.
The study involved cross-sectional surveys of 3,745 dating youth from 10 middle and high schools in the northeastern United States, 59 percent of whom reported some form of dating abuse victimization. The study examined the characteristics of youth who reported any type of dating abuse victimization, comparing youth who reported seeking help to youth who did not report seeking help following their victimization. Only 9 percent of victims reported seeking help after their victimization experience. Help-seeking differed significantly by sex; female victims were more likely to seek help than male victims, and the types of dating abuse that help-seekers experienced also varied by sex. Overall, 17 percent of youth sought help from school counselors, and 13 percent sought help from teachers. Results suggest that help-seeking behavior is very uncommon among victim populations, particularly if they are not part of specific dating violence prevention programs. In addition, the study found female victims were nearly two times more likely to seek help than male victims. Given that few youths seek help on their own, schools might create more formalized reporting mechanisms to ensure such violence is addressed effectively and efficiently, as well as create peer and parental support networks to build awareness and create comfort for victims. (publisher abstract modified)