The study found that 55% of the young women had experienced domestic violence at the hands of their boyfriends during the previous 12 months. Forty-one percent of these women (about 30% of the entire sample) reported experiencing the most severe forms of domestic violence behaviors. There was also a strong association between domestic violence and birth control sabotage and between domestic violence and work/school-related sabotage among the teens surveyed.

Qualitative interviews indicated that many of these low-income teen mothers were currently experiencing severe difficulties with escaping domestic violence due to a lack of temporary or permanent housing opportunities. As a result, CIR began an assessment to determine how the many needs of these low-income teen girls could be met, and released a report in December 2000 detailing its findings about how state laws and regulations severely limit teen access to services such as mental health counseling and shelter. CIR made recommendations for needed policy changes and continues to collaborate with community partners on the issue.

For further information, contact Lise McKean at lmckean@impactresearch.org.

Project Publications

Helping With Domestic Violence: Legal Barriers to Serving Teens in Illinois
12/00
A look at the barriers to serving teen victims of intimate partner violence in Illinois with respect to counseling, housing, and orders of protection.
Executive Summary
Full Report

Domestic Violence and Birth Control Sabotage: A Report From The Teen Parent Project
2/00
Prevalence of domestic violence within a sample of teen mothers on welfare and demonstration of how domestic violence sabotages the girls' birth control arrangements.
Executive Summary
Full Report