List of Signs of Domestic Violence Against Teenage Girls
February, a month traditionally marked for honoring love and partnership, is also Teen Dating Violence month. Organizations, such as Loveisrespect.org, use February to shine a light on the dangers of domestic violence that many girls in relationships face -- as many as one in three, according to the site. In order to know when a relationship has gone wrong, teens should equip themselves with knowledge of the signs of domestic violence.
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Physical Abuse
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Perhaps the easiest to identify, physical violence, no matter how small, is a serious sign of abuse. Physical abuse can range from a shove or grab to punching, biting, strangling or kicking. Although other kinds of abuse can break down a teenage girl's spirit, physical violence can lead to a life of chronic physical problems, according to the Oregon Health and Science University. At the worst, physical abuse can end up with the abusive person murdering his partner. Roughly one third of women murdered in the United States are murdered by a domestic partner, according to the National Organization for Women.
Emotional Abuse
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Emotional abuse takes a variety of forms and is designed to terrorize or belittle a teen. Emotional abuse can include destroying an item of property, name calling, treating a girl like property or a servant or threatening to hurt the teen, themselves, or a friend in order to get his way. Humiliation is another tool of an abusive boyfriend -- he will try to make the girl feel worthless. Emotional abuse often leads to the abused teen feeling as if she deserved it, or that she can't do better than an abusive relationship.
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Sexual Abuse
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When one person in a relationship forces another to perform sexual acts they aren't comfortable with, this is sexual abuse. The force can be physical, or the abusive boyfriend can threaten to break up with the girl if she doesn't comply. Unwanted pressure for sex or sexual acts is also considered sexual abuse.
Technological Abuse
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A newer form of abuse, technological abuse, can start with excessive texts and instant messaging and lead to invasions of privacy such as hacking a Facebook account to spy on who their girlfriend is talking to or insisting on going through a partner's cell phone or computer. Technological abuse or cyber stalking is a method of keeping track of or monitoring a partner's behavior, often out of jealousy.
If a Friend is Abused
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If teens suspect their friend is in an abusive relationship, they should ask themselves if the friend is constantly making excuses for her boyfriend or explaining why he isn't so bad. Pay attention if the friend loses interest in favorite activities or stops spending time with friends and family or has unexplained injuries, or if the boyfriend is witnessed putting down the friend or fostering distrust between the teenage girl and her parents or friends.
Education
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Education on the signs and dangers of an abusive relationship helps teens figure out when a relationship is dangerous. Love Is Not Abuse reports that only half of teens understand the warning signs of an abusive relationship, and only 25 percent of teens undergo education of a harmful relationship at school. Of students who have had classes on abusive relationships, 75 percent reported understanding when a relationship is harmful.
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References
- Love is Respect: Are You Being Abused?
- Teen Dating Violence Month: What is Teen Dating Violence?
- Oregon Health and Science University; OHSU Researchers Find Correlation Between Abuse and Chronic Mental, Physical Problems in Women; August 2004
- NOW: Violence Against Women in the United States: Statistics
- Love Is Not Abuse: Fast Facts
Resources
- Photo Credit Creatas Images/Creatas/Getty Images
