Canadian Paediatric Society Urges Health-Care Providers to Screen Youth for Dating Violence
The Canadian Paediatric Society released new guidance on Thursday calling on health-care providers to screen children and teens for dating violence, noting that one in three young people in Canada have experienced it. Experts cite social media exposure, poverty, and prior trauma as key risk factors, while some question the effectiveness of screening without adequate community support.
One in three young people in Canada have faced dating violence, including physical and sexual abuse and online harassment, according to data highlighted by the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS). On Thursday, the organization released new guidance calling on health-care providers to screen for relationship abuse among kids and teens.
The CPS defines youth and teens as those in Grade 6 and up, marking the period when dating typically begins. Dr. Megan Harrison, chair of the CPS's adolescent health committee, stated that health-care providers are seeing an uptick in dating-related violence ranging from stalking to psychological and sexual abuse. Relationship-based violence can lead to immediate and long-term adverse health outcomes for victims.
Data reported by the CPS shows a higher prevalence of victims among cisgender girls and transgender and gender-diverse youth in a national sample of students in Grades 9 and 10. Tracy Vaillancourt, a professor at the University of Ottawa, noted that easily accessible violent content on social media and in online pornography dehumanizes girls and women and impacts how they view relationships. Researchers also face increased difficulty keeping up with rapid shifts in teen technology use.
Dr. Cécile Rousseau, chair of the division of child and adolescent psychiatry at McGill University, noted that poverty, marginality, and discrimination increase vulnerability to dating violence. Individuals already experiencing domestic or family violence, or kids who are bullied or rejected by peers, are more likely to experience violent relationships.
The CPS recommends that health-care providers initiate conversations about healthy relationships during routine medical visits, offer privacy, and provide community resources. However, some outside experts questioned the effectiveness of screening if health-care providers cannot link youth with long-term community support after their visit, raising concerns about potential ineffectiveness if such resources are not available.