Teen Parent Assessment Project Violence in Dating Relationships Loving and nurturing relationships are important to us all. A healthy relationship encourages outside interests and friendships. It provides support and affection. But some relationships are not healthy. If the relationship becomes abusive-physically violent, controlling, verbally abusive-it is not a healthy relationship, and you need to get help. Always remember that physical and psychological abuse are not normal or acceptable even among teenage lovers. Some facts about domestic violence: Approximately 1 in 10 high school students has experienced physical violence in dating relationships. One-third of high school and college-aged youths experience violence in an intimate relationship. 79 percent of all violent young people have witnessed violence in their homes. 15 to 25 percent of pregnant women are battered. At least one woman is battered every fifteen seconds in the United States. Domestic violence may touch as many as 1/4 of all Americans. Domestic violence is a major contributing factor to other problems including child abuse and neglect, female alcoholism, and homelessness.