Consequences of Youth Dating Violence
Consequences for Individuals Who Are Victimized by Dating Violence
- Youth who are victimized by dating violence may feel like they don’t have power, feel unsafe, or feel trapped within a violent relationship.
- Youth victimized by dating violence may suffer from a host of negative mental health impacts, including depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, anxiety, or trauma symptoms.
- Some youth may feel isolated, alone, and helpless in dealing with the violence – they may lose confidence in their ability to manage relationships, conflict, and stress.
- Youth victimized by dating violence may also experience injury and sexual health issues such as STIs (sexually transmitted infections) or unwanted pregnancies.
- Youth victimized by dating violence are more likely to use drugs and have a loss in academic performance.
- Youth who are victimized by dating violence risk a lifetime of difficult relationships with others, including victimization in future relationships.
- Experiencing Youth Dating Violence is a significant risk factor for being victimized by partner violence in adulthood.
- Summary:
- Depressive symptoms
- Suicidality
- Increased anxiety
- Trauma symptoms
- Problematic substance use
- Sexual health issues (e.g. STIs, unwanted pregnancy)
- Injury
- Decreased ability to regulate negative emotions and stress
- Continued involvement in violence (can escalate)
- Decreased academic performance

Consequences for Individuals Who Perpetrate Dating Violence
- Youth who perpetrate dating violence use power and aggression to harm or control others.
- They need healthy relationship solutions.
- If aggressive behaviours are not corrected, they risk growing up using violence to achieve goals.
- Youth who perpetrate dating violence risk a lifetime of difficult relationships with others, including involvement in future violence.
- Youth Dating Violence is a risk factor for partner violence in adulthood.
- Youth who perpetrate dating violence are at a higher risk of committing a crime, having behaviour problems, not performing well at school, and involvement with drugs.
- Youth who perpetrate dating violence are at risk for a host of mental and physical health impacts, such as depression, suicide risk, drug use, and risky sexual behaviours.
- Summary:
- Depression
- Suicidality
- Problematic substance use
- Risky sexual behaviours
- Involvement in crime
- Decreased ability to regulate negative emotions & manage conflict
- Continued violence in future
- Decreased academic performance