This is because one in three teens in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual or emotional abuse, and young women ages 16 to 24 are the most at risk of intimate partner violence, at a rate three times the national average. Clearly, these statistics are startling, and promoting awareness to young people is key to understanding the complexity of dating violence, but prevention is a further step forward toward breaking the cycle of violence. The media doesn’t help in the promotion of healthy relationships, as we are constantly bombarded with skewed images of what a loving relationship is. Consequently, today’s youth are engulfed in unhealthy and violent relationships that perpetuate the cycle of violence. If we do not intervene now, our youth are at heightened risk of becoming abusers and inflicting pain on others as a way to resolve their own pain. This is a sick cycle, and as social workers, we see the need to help these youth by giving them the support and tools necessary to empower them to step out of the cycle. We need to take action to change this vicious cycle promoted by our culture by first promoting awareness of healthy versus unhealthy relationships at schools, and second implementing more effective laws that give consequences to juvenile abusers. For example, law enforcement should mandate youth abusers to participate in rehabilitative workshops that teach about healthy communication and boundaries within relationships and the consequences. The mandated program should also include community service relevant to teaching youth offenders empathy. If we do not react, we will continue passive patterns that embrace violence and fail to take a stand for true love. Is this the type of future we want for our children and society? As caring citizens, we need to work together to push against the status quo that encourages silence about personal issues and advocate for effective policy reform that will cultivate a healthier community.

— Jennifer Allen
Cynthia Lopez Herrera
Annie Ng
California State University, Long Beach
School of Social Work
Master’s students