Teen Relationship Abuse : A Major Problem

IntroductionIn recent history, dating violence has become a paramount issue in American society. With the rates of domestic violence on the rise, much research has been conducted that provides evidence that violence during dating relationships in the teen years is a strong contributing factor to later domestic violence. Current research is revealing that a far larger percentage of teens are suffering from some amount of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse in their dating relationships. Studies have shown that both those who engage in the violent behaviors, as well as those who are the victims of these acts are more likely to be involved in violent relationships in the future. The significant number of individuals involved in these

An abusive relationship is one where one partner in a relationship is threatened, humiliated, jealous, possessive, or subject any other sort of violent tendencies by the other partner of the relationship. This was resembled in the

The abuser can demonstrate sexual abuse within the relationship by forcing his or her partner to have sex, also known as "rape", calling them names such as, whore or slut, and acting as if they would have sex with other people. Furthermore, the physical abuse within the relationship is also fear-provoking. Physical abuse can range from pushing, shoving, slapping, and kicking to punching, biting and hitting with a weapon or object. Some abusers display physical abuse by pinning their victim to a wall, floor, or car; keeping them in a car or home against their will. Can an abuser who wants to hurt or kill his or her partner actually be a fine choice to have a relationship with? Unfortunately, an abusive relationship may end up being the closing stage of one 's life.

A victim’s mind does not enter into an abusive relationship the same as it, hopefully escapes. Most people are familiar with the honeymoon stage of a new relationship, the excitement, infatuation and methodical self-disclosure that most, if not all people experience and engage in. The gradualism of an abusive relationship is one critical piece of a frightening puzzle.

I chose this topic because I feel it meets a true community need; too many young people, girls in particular, are falling prey to abusive relationships. The effects are far-reaching, and the loss of self-esteen that so often occurs leaves invisible scars. I also feel that emotional abuse among young girls in dating realtionships is far too often ignored, and when it is recognized, many people do not know how to help the young girls deal with it in an effective manner.

Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behaviors, which some individuals use to control others in their family or home. Most domestic violence starts with emotional abuse which can lead to verbal abuse. When a person you love or care about break you down by saying, “No one want to be with you, you are ugly, you cannot make it without me and you would not be successful or you better not do something or I will beat you.” Verbal abuse can make a

Teen dating violence is a serious problem, and the number of cases continues to rise. The victims are usually teenaged girls, and the abuse may occur for months before they finally come forward to report their attacker. Some teens do not tell until the abuse is obvious because they are seriously injured, others deny the abuse or make excuses for the abuser. Is your daughter at risk for teen dating violence? Do not assume she will tell you if her boyfriend starts abusing her. Teen girls are likely to blame themselves if they are abused. They may be too embarrassed to tell or lack the confidence. They might think that no one will believe them if they do report being victimized. As a parent, it is essential to know if your daughter is at risk for becoming a victim of teen dating violence. If your daughter exhibits any of the following traits she has a greater chance of experiencing dating violence. Low self-esteem. Girls who do not feel good about themselves are more likely to allow others to abuse, control and use them. If your daughter appears to have low self-esteem take steps to help build her self-esteem so that she will feel better about herself. Insecurity about appearance. Appearance is extremely important to teenaged girls and greatly affects their self-esteem. If your daughter is unhappy with the way she looks, find a way to enhance her natural beauty. Perhaps a new hairstyle or a little makeup will give her a boost of confidence. If your daughter is overweight,

They cannot hide” (Domestic Violence). Although counselors are close by, a teen may fear that revealing their abuse will not only slander their abusers reputation, but theirs as well. With nearly 1.5 million high school students experiencing physical abuse yearly from a dating partner (Love is Respect), this problem needs to be addressed in an appropriate classroom setting. Teens need to be taught the warning signs, and also how to handle an abusive situation. “Violent relationships in adolescence can have serious ramifications by putting the victims at higher risk for substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behavior and further domestic violence” (Love is Respect). And with adolescence being an important time for a child to transition into young adulthood, being faced with an abusive relationship may put a chip in their development. As the future of the American nation grows, abuse should not be allowed to grow with them.

Humiliation, jealousy, accusations, threats, possessiveness, overdependence and withdrawal of attention are other signs of this severity of violence (“The Facts about Teen Dating Violence”). “Of tweens (age 11-14) who have been in a dating relationship, 62% say they know peers who have been verbally abused by a dating partner” (Liz Claiborne, Inc/Teen Research Unlimited, 2007). Frequently, verbal and emotional abuse contains the use of technology. People abuse the use of the internet, computer, cell phones, email, etc. is all agencies of abuse. “Their battleground becomes the telephone and social media--where put-downs, name calling and jealousy manifest in angry phone calls and Facebook posts” (Duret). Some do not fully realize the effect words can have on a person. Words hurt. Next, sexual violence in teen relationships is the highest on the list. Dangers may include non-consented touching and kissing, forced sex, or pornography. As stated on the website loveisrespect.org, “girls and young women between the ages of 16 and 24 experiences the highest rate of intimate partner violence—almost triple the national average” (Dating Abuse Statistics). These issues can lead to unplanned pregnancy, attempted suicide and serious emotional instability. Staying alert to these issues not only is important to one’s safety, but can potentially be helpful to a future acquaintance or relationship.

Teen dating violence is becoming a huge issue among schools across the nation. In fact most teens don’t even think their relationships are abusive or they know but they are too scared to do anything about it. Teen dating violence is on the rise. This violence spans across all socioeconomic levels and knows no race. Even famous people can be victims of dating violence. Dating violence is a real issue and needs to be addressed in all schools and workplaces across the nation. Teen dating violence is on the rise and is ultimately one of the biggest issues among teens and adolescents today.

Young people need to be educated on the warning signs of abusive or unhealthy relationships so they are able to recognize and avoid them. A Streetcar Named Desire was written in 1947, but domestic violence is still a dangerous problem in our society today. In 2008, there were 652,660 reported victims of abuse in the United States over the age of 12 (Doak 1). Many of these victims are teenagers. According to dosomething.org, 1 in 3 teenagers will be in an abusive or unhealthy relationship

“Nearly 1.5 million high school students across the country experience physical violence at the hands of a dating partner each year” (Duret). Teenage dating violence is on the rise. Due to recent advances in technology, abuse issues are more prevalent; technology allows room for students to lash out over text messaging and through social media. However, teen violence can be prevented. The government has established laws and campaigns to educate and protect victims. Teenagers go through many changes during their adolescent years and peer influence can make it hard to decipher between right and wrong. However, by high school, teenagers should be able to determine and understand healthy relationships; unfortunately, teenage dating violence statistics continue to rise at alarming rates.

The textbook definition of “Relationship Abuse” is: a pattern of abusive and coercive behaviors used to maintain power and control over a former or current intimate partner.

Abuse can have many different meanings, there is one in particular that takes control in many Americans relationship, “physical maltreatment” (Abuse). Sadly there is an increasing amount of young adults going through an abusive relationship or were in one. Many of the people that become abusers consider violence as a normal behavior because they have witnessed it on a daily basis. They than begin to mistreat everyone that comes in his or her way. An abuser is frequently interested in controlling their victims. An abuser’s behavior is usually manipulating, in order to make their victims