Almost a third of 18 & 19yos report abuse by a partner

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Australian teenagers are facing alarming levels of violence from their intimate partners. New data, shared exclusively with the ABC, reveals almost a third of 18 and 19 year olds were abused by a partner in the previous year.

Transcript

00:00 Relationships can be formative, but for many teens they're not idyllic.

00:07 I was 16 and I was in year 10. I had a boyfriend who was the same age and he was violent with me.

00:15 The first incident he slapped me across the face out of nowhere.

00:18 A week later we were at the local shopping centre.

00:21 He pinned me against the wall near the toilets with his hands on my throat.

00:25 New data shows Sarah's experience is sadly commonplace.

00:30 Almost a third of 18 and 19 year olds experienced abuse from a partner in the previous year.

00:36 Around a quarter experienced emotional abuse, while others reported physical and sexual violence.

00:42 The rates of emotional and physical abuse were similar in men and women,

00:46 but sexual abuse was more prevalent among young women.

00:50 Dr Carly O'Donnell from the Australian Institute of Family Studies believes most Australians would be shocked at the findings.

00:58 Teen relationships can often get diminished as puppy love or not something that's serious,

01:04 but the threat of violence and abuse in these relationships is serious.

01:08 Researcher Dr Carmel Hobbs has interviewed teens in Tasmania.

01:12 She says some of their stories are horrific.

01:15 One young person whose partner fired a gun at her.

01:19 We're talking about the use of tools, like garden tools used in physical violence, choking.

01:27 Teens are also vulnerable to abuse through technology, such as the use of tracking apps and social media.

01:33 Researchers say friends and family can play a key role in preventing violence in teen relationships,

01:39 watching out for red flags and keeping lines of communication open.

01:44 If they don't approach you, it is okay to approach them, but remember to remain calm. It might be quite distressing to hear this.

01:50 Helping to set up healthy relationships from the beginning.

01:53 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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