Unsafe Relationships Among Teens

Female and LGBTQ+ students were more likely to report being controlled, threatened, or made to feel unsafe by someone they were going out with.  

In a survey of Washington public school students, 8th, 10th, and 12th graders were asked whether someone they were dating or going out with had ever restricted their activities, threatened them, or made them feel unsafe in any way. These experiences can indicate unhealthy relationships. In 2023, 5.2% of King County students who had dated in the past year reported having these experiences in their dating relationships.  

  • Gender: At 8.8%, transgender students were more likely to experience unsafe relationships compared to King County average. Students who identified as “something else fits better” were also more likely to have these experiences than both the county average and male students.  

  • Sexual orientation: At 8.8%, lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB+) students were more likely to experience unsafe relationships than the King County average and heterosexual students.  

  • Grade level: The percent of students who had experienced unsafe relationships increased with grade level, from 3.4% of 8th graders to 5.6% of 10th graders to 6.6% of 12th graders. 

  • Race and ethnicity: Asian students (2.9%) were less likely than the King County average to report feeling unsafe in their relationships. However, within the Asian student population, there were differences by ethnic group. Students identifying as Asian Indian (1.8%) and Chinese (2.9%) had lower rates than the county average, whereas students identifying as Cambodian/Khmer, Filipino, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese reported rates similar to the county. Hispanic students (6.9%) and were more likely to experience unsafe relationships compared to the King County average.   

  • Trends: The percent of students who had experienced unsafe relationships decreased by almost half, from a high of 9.4% in 2006 to a low of 4.7% in 2021. This decline was also seen across grade level, gender, region, sexual orientation and several races/ethnicities. 

Resources 

If you have experienced sexual violence (or are supporting someone who has), resources are available:  

Notes & Sources

Source: Healthy Youth Survey, 2006-2023  

Every 2 years, Washington public school students in 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th grades answer questions about safety and violence, physical activity and diet, alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, and related risk and protective factors.  

Numerator: Students who responded "Yes" to the question "During the past 12 months, did someone you were dating or going out with ever limit your activities, threaten you, or make you feel unsafe in any other way?”  

Denominator: All students who answered “Yes” or “No” to the question. (Students who selected “I did not date anyone in the past 12 months” are not included in the denominator.)  

To learn more about the Healthy Youth Survey and view the data biography, click here.