Doctors urged to discuss teen dating violence as CPS says one-third of youth face abuse

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The Canadian Paediatric Society is urging health-care providers to routinely discuss healthy and unhealthy relationships with teen patients, as new guidance released Thursday warns that a significant portion of young people experience dating violence.

The society said one-third of teens in Canada face abuse in relationships, including physical, psychological, sexual or technology-related harm, such as stalking.

In an interview, Dr. Megan Harrison, chair of the society’s adolescent health committee, said technology can make abusive behaviour easier to carry out, including tracking a partner or forbidding them from communicating with friends. She said these behaviours also occur among adults, but adolescence is a time when teens are still forming their identities and may be more vulnerable.

The guidance says providers can normalize the topic by raising it during adolescent patient visits, and Harrison said creating more opportunities for teens to ask questions in a safe environment can help prevent unhealthy situations.

Harrison also said doctors do not need to have all the answers if a teen discloses a problematic relationship, but should respond in a safe, non-judgmental way and then connect the patient to community resources as needed.

The guidance recommends doctors speak with teen patients alone for part of the visit and assure them the conversation is confidential unless the physician is immediately concerned about the teen’s safety or the safety of someone else.

It also suggests sharing take-home educational resources about healthy relationships and teen dating violence, and includes an example script for starting the conversation: “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 says. “We now talk to all our patients about their relationships because they can impact health. We also provide education on this topic because it’s likely you or someone you know could use it.”

If a teen discloses problematic behaviour, the guidance says health-care providers should thank the patient for trusting them and connect them with resources in the community. In some cases, Harrison said, that can include taking the first step in the office, such as making a call with the youth, helping them book an appointment, or sitting with them while they contact services.

For teens planning to access resources later, the guidance advises discussing the possibility that an abusive partner may track the teen’s online activity and asking whether printed materials would be a safer option.

It also identifies groups that may be at increased risk for dating violence, including teens who are homeless or living in poverty, gender-diverse youth, Black and Indigenous female teens, and young people living in care systems.