Teen Dating Violence: The Past Lived Experiences of Young Adults in UP Manila

Abstract

Teen Dating Violence (TDV) is a serious public health concern. However, minimal research, especially in the Philippine context, has tackled detailed lived experiences of individuals that went through TDV. This study provides a detailed perspective of TDV through the eyes of Filipino young adult victims, including the past lived experiences of young adults on TDV, their perception of TDV, the impact it had on them, and their perception of how society acknowledges the issue. Phenomenology is used as the research design of the study in order to provide a detailed and deeper understanding of how the victims make sense of their experiences. Five young Filipino adults aged 20-24 years old in UP Manila were recruited as participants through snowball sampling and were interviewed using semi-structured interview guides. The results of the study revealed that their perception of TDV reflected their own experiences. The most apparent risk factor of TDV was the environment, while the support system served as protective factors. The victims perceived TDV to be stigmatized and not acknowledged enough in our society, and that existing intervention strategies are not enough. All of the victims experienced TDV with their first relationships. In general, the participants’ experiences involved violence that came about during arguments. The causes and nature of violence identified can be associated with the Power and Control Wheel. Modes of violence were categorized into three: physical, sexual, and emotional. Negative attitudes of the victims toward the violence and their partners were reported. Substantial findings also revealed that victims only sought help from informal sources, particularly from friends. Both the positive and negative impacts of TDV were seen in the victims. Call for action and recommendations were made in order to develop adequate and proper prevention and intervention strategies for TDV, and to aid more in-depth future studies, respectively.