When we look at typical bullying behavior we often see a pattern begin to emerge between bullying and abuse. Teens with low self-esteem often resort to bullying and it's unfortunate that this behavior can persist through the length of a person's entire life. The violence used to get what they want could be a precursor to future abuse unless a dramatic intervention takes place.
Stats on abuse and Domestic Violence:
When there are no interventions made and children who have utilized violence make it into adulthood without a change they can often cause more harm to others than they did in childhood. 22% of women and 15% of men have experienced some form of partner violence. Violence starts in relationships as early as the ages of 11-17 years. (Atlanta Georgia National Center for Injury Prevention, 2011)
Dating violence affects more people than you may think with one in five high school students reporting being physically or sexually abused by a dating partner. Part of the explanation for this large percentage of female students experiencing abuse could be linked to bullying at an early stage.
How do abuse and bullying link?
Abuse and bullying are linked in teens in a very precise way. We can see similarities all the way down the line from the main aspects of bullying to the symptoms experienced by the victims of abuse.
Bullying can lead to a stronger prevalence of verbal abuse, taunting and threatening to achieve various objectives. Verbal abuse in adults looks similar, as the victim often receives humiliation and belittling from their partner spreading rumors or embarrassing them in public. This is the same type of activity that happens with childhood bullying.
Kimesha Coleman is an Empowerment Speaker and the author of He Loves Me Not: Buried Tears of Betrayed Love which tells about her own compelling experience with teen dating violence and domestic violence. Book Kimesha for your next teen dating violence or domestic violence event. Click here to submit your request.
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