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Tech a Tool in Teen Dating Abuse, Survey Finds (CNN)
Feb 13th, 2025 by Jefferson
Nearly one in four teens communicated hourly with his or her partner by cell phone or text messaging between midnight and 5 a.m., according to a survey conducted by Teenage Research Unlimited, a research organization specializing in research on teens and young adults.
Shaina Weisbrot, now a sophomore at Rutgers University, says as a teenager she was in a controlling relationship that eventually turned violent. She recalls staying on the phone until 5 a.m. some nights, arguing with her boyfriend. “I’d be in my room. I’d pretend to be sleeping. I’d shut the lights and I’d be quiet, and no one would know the difference because all you had to do was hide your cell phone.”
About one in three teens surveyed who have been in a relationship said their partner had text messaged them 10, 20 and up to 30 times per hour to find out where they are, what they’re doing, or who they’re with.
Dr. Jill Murray, a psychologist who specializes in teen relationship violence, says that kind of questioning goes beyond casual conversation and amounts to controlling behavior. “The technology sets up the opportunity for constant stalking, for constant communication, for constant intimidation and threatening behavior, ” Murray said at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. “So we’re seeing an increase in teen dating abuse and I believe that this is a good part of it.”