FAQ and Factsheets: Adolescents

Twenty-nine percent of female rape victims in America were younger than eleven when they were raped (National Center for Victims of Crime & Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, 1992). [More...]
From: NCVC "Get Help" General Information

Sexual abuse can happen to boys or girls of any race, ethnicity, or economic background. If you know a child who is being sexually abused, you can help put a stop to it. [More...]
From: NCVC "Get Help" Bulletins for Teens

Mental health approaches to child sexual abuse tend to ignore the social and cultural context of any given episode of sexual abuse. As an organization, Generation Five is committed to shifting responses to child sexual abuse from individualized, mental health approaches to approaches that acknowledge child sexual abuse and exploitation as a social and political issue. The public health approach, the family violence approach, and the human rights approach are discussed as alternatives to the mental health approach. [More...]
From: Generation Five

The law has traditionally treated children differently than other victims. State criminal codes define many crimes against children separately from the same offenses committed against adults. [More...]
From: NCVC "Get Help" Legislative Topics

Dating violence is controlling, abusive and aggressive behavior in a romantic relationship. It can happen in straight or gay relationships. It can include verbal, emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, or a combination of them. [More...]
From: NCVC "Get Help" Bulletins for Teens

Teens are very vulnerable to crime and unfortunately become victims of crime more than any other age group. They experience all the same crimes that adults do—from robbery, sexual assault, and car theft, to relationship violence, assaults and bullying. How you— and other adults—respond can make a big difference in how your child copes with and recovers from the event. [More...]
From: NCVC "Get Help" Bulletins for Teens

Ten key messages about safety for girls. [More...]
From: Girls Inc.

The diagnosis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was formally recognized as a psychiatric diagnosis in 1980. At that time, little was known about what PTSD looked like in children and adolescents. This fact sheet provides information regarding what events cause PTSD in children, how many children develop PTSD, risk factors associated with PTSD, what PTSD looks like in children, other effects of trauma on children, treatment for PTSD, and what you can do for your child. [More...]
From: The National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Our nation's schools, once a protected haven for learning and growth, are no longer safe for teachers or students in many of our nation's communities. From overt violent acts, such as homicide and assaults, to concealed crimes, such as child sexual abuse, violence in schools affects everyone-teachers, parents, children, and the whole community. Many people equate school violence with large urban areas: however, violence has invaded suburban and rural schools as well. [More...]
From: NCVC "Get Help" General Information

School crime and violence have reached alarming proportions across the country, causing concerns among victims, their families and educators. The creation of school-based victim service programs is proving to be an effective first step towards assisting victims, as well as developing crime prevention programs. Effective victim assistance programs respond to chronic trauma or the victimization that occurs in everyday life as well as the critical trauma or violent incidents that occur on school grounds and campuses. [More...]
From: NCVC "Get Help" General Information

In 1992, the National Women’s Study estimated that 683,000 adult American women are forcibly raped each year (National Center for Victims of Crime & Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, 1992). According to Bureau of Justice Statistics data, U.S. male and female residents age 12 and older experienced an estimated 307,000 rapes and sexual assaults in 1996 (Ringel, 1997). The difference between the number of rapes in 1992 and the number of rapes and sexual assaults in 1996 reflects standard statistical error and differences in methodology. One significant methodological difference is that the National Women’s Study interviewed individuals by telephone, allowing women greater confidence in their anonymity. The Bureau of Justice Statistics conducted face-to-face interviews, in some cases with entire families present, which could have possibly deterred disclosure. [More...]
From: NCVC "Get Help" General Information

For sexual activity to be okay, it must be consensual-which means that both people want it to happen. Sexual assault is when any person forces you to participate in a sexual act when you don't want to. This can include touching or penetrating the vagina, mouth or anus of the victim (often called rape), touching the penis of the victim, or forcing the victim to touch the attacker's vagina, penis, or anus. Touching can mean with a hand, finger, mouth, penis, or just about anything else, including objects. [More...]
From: NCVC "Get Help" Bulletins for Teens

Sexual harassment is unwanted sexual behavior. It may take different forms, including physical contact, sexual comments, sexual propositions, or unwanted communication. Because "sexual harassment" is a term that can describe many different behaviors, the kind of help available to you may differ, depending on exactly what the person harassing you has done. In many cases, the harassment will probably not constitute a crime, but rather a violation of school rules. [More...]
From: NCVC "Get Help" Bulletins for Teens

Stalking is a pattern of behavior that makes you feel afraid, nervous, harassed, or in danger. It is when someone repeatedly contacts you, follows you, sends you things, talks to you when you don't want them to, or threatens you. The legal definition of stalking and possible punishment for it changes from state to state. [More...]
From: NCVC "Get Help" Bulletins for Teens

Teen dating violence is abusive and violent behavior in teen dating relationships. [More...]
From: NCVC "Get Help" General Information

This information packet has been developed by the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV) as an introduction to the dynamics, prevalence and consequences of teen dating violence. The packet explores issues specific to teen dating violence, examines current provision of support services for teens and presents information about a variety of promising prevention and intervention strategies. While some awareness materials such as booklets, checklists and posters are included, the intent of packet contents is to examine some of the key dating violence issues currently facing teens and their advocates. [More...]
From: National Resource Center on Domestic Violence

Violence committed against and committed by the youth of America is a serious problem. The victimization of youth ranges from child abuse, child sexual abuse, gang violence and youth-on-youth attacks to hate violence, rape and murder. In alarming rates, young people are turning to violence to resolve their problems and to criminal activity as a lifestyle choice. There are many theories about this type of violence. Some theorists suggest that children learn from their environment-- be it the influence of a crime filled neighborhood, an abusive home, or an isolated rural area where support services are minimal. [More...]
From: NCVC "Get Help" General Information