The Canadian Paediatric Society has issued a strong call for healthcare providers to engage in discussions with adolescent patients regarding healthy relationships and the concerning issue of dating violence. This plea comes in light of alarming statistics that reveal approximately one-third of teenagers in Canada are subjected to various forms of abuse—physical, psychological, sexual, or technologically facilitated, including stalking—within their relationships.
Dr. Megan Harrison, who chairs the society's adolescent health committee, highlighted the role of technology in exacerbating dating violence among teens. She noted that while abusive behaviors are not confined to adolescents, the teenage years are crucial for identity formation, making young individuals particularly vulnerable to such experiences. The integration of technology like texting and social media can lead to controlling behaviors, such as tracking partners or denying them communication with friends.
The newly released guidance emphasizes the importance of normalizing conversations about relationship health during routine visits with adolescent patients. Dr. Harrison explains that by fostering environments where teens feel secure discussing their relationship experiences, healthcare providers can significantly reduce the prevalence of unhealthy interactions. She stresses that doctors need not have all the answers when confronted with a patient's disclosure of a problematic relationship; the priority should be to offer a non-judgmental space and connect them to pertinent community resources.
The guidance advocates for physicians to conduct private discussions with teen patients during appointments, ensuring their privacy is maintained unless immediate safety concerns arise. It encourages healthcare providers to share educational materials on healthy relationships and teen dating violence, which patients can then keep or share with their peers. The guidance includes a sample script to help initiate these conversations, illustrating the importance of addressing the dynamics of dating relationships that can impact health.
"A lot of dating relationships are great experiences. But some patients have shared that they have experienced situations in their relationships that made them feel uncomfortable or even scared," the sample script states. It emphasizes the necessity for healthcare providers to proactively address relationship dynamics in their discussions, highlighting that such education may be invaluable for the patient or someone they know.
In situations where a teen reveals troubling behavior in their relationship, healthcare providers are encouraged to commend the teen for their trust and to facilitate connections to community support resources. Dr. Harrison offered practical advice, suggesting that clinicians might assist teens by making a phone call together or guiding them through the process of scheduling an appointment with local resources.
When discussing potential follow-up, the guidance advises practitioners to consider the possibility that an abusive partner may monitor the teen's online activity. In these cases, it may be prudent to discuss printed materials as a safer option for accessing support. The guidance also identifies specific groups of teenagers who may be at greater risk for dating violence, including those experiencing homelessness or poverty, gender-diverse youth, Black and Indigenous female adolescents, and those involved with care systems.
