fact vs. fiction: dating violence quiz

relationship violence statistics | dating violence quiz

What Do You Think?

1. Dating violence is rare among college students and other educated people.
   
   
2. When someone leaves an abusive relationship, the abuse usually ends.
   
   
3. Drug and/or alcohol abuse is often a factor in dating violence.
   
   
4. The best way to get a friend to leave an abusive relationship is to "cut ties" with them.
   
   
5. If violence occurs once in a dating relationship, it is likely to happen again.
   
   
6. Police hardly ever make arrests in dating violence situations.

How Well Did You Do?

1. Dating violence is rare among college students and other educated people.
   FALSE-Dating and domestic violence is common among all people-rich, poor, black, white, Asian, Latino, etc.
   
   
2. When someone leaves an abusive relationship, the abuse usually ends.
   FALSE-Unfortunately, many victims actually place themselves in greater danger when leaving the relationship as the abuser will retaliate against the victim for leaving. This is often called separation violence.
   
   
3. Drugs and/or alcohol abuse is often a factor in dating violence.
   TRUE-Although this is true, drug and/or alcohol abuse by the abuser should never be used as an "excuse". Women in violent relationships are much more likely to abuse drugs and/or alcohol than woman who are not in abusive relationships.
   
   
4. The best way to get a friend to leave an abusive relationship is to "cut ties" with them.
   FALSE-This may actually have the opposite effect. Someone who is being abused in a relationship needs outside support and is very unlikely to leave that relationship unless they have support from friends and family.
   
   
5. If violence occurs once in a dating relationship, it is likely to happen again.
   TRUE-It is rare for someone to hit or otherwise abuse their partner once and never do it again.
   
   
6. Police hardly ever make arrests in dating violence situations.
   FALSE-This used to be the case where the victim had to agree to press charges before the police would make the arrest. In north Carolina, police officers generally only need some physical evidence of abuse in order to make an arrest, even if the victim does not press charges.