TEEN DATING VIOLENCE IN ILLINOIS

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. The National Institute of Justice defines teen dating violence as, “physical, psychological, or sexual abuse; harassment; or stalking among persons ages 12 to 18 within the context of a past or present romantic or consensual relationship.”

When examining crimes reported to Illinois law enforcement, the National Incident-Based Reporting System shows 1,454 youth aged 12 to 18 experienced a crime in 2023 by an individual in the same age group and within a dating or intimate partner context. This reflected an 11 percent increase compared to 2022. During the same two-year period, InfoNet data show 278 youth aged 12-18 received services from an Illinois service provider after experiencing violence or abuse from a dating/intimate partner in the same age group.