Young love marred by abusive relationships

A surprising number of young teens in the United States are in physically and emotionally abusive dating relationships, according to a survey released on Tuesday.

Dating relationships and dating abuse can begin as early as age 11, underscoring the need for early education on the subject, the survey found.

"The extent of verbal and emotional abuse in early dating is much higher than we had anticipated," said Dr. Elizabeth Miller of the University of California Davis, who took part in a news briefing in Washington announcing the findings.