What is Teenage Relationship Abuse?
Abuse in teenage relationships is not always about physical violence: it can include threats, emotional abuse, isolation from friends and family, and control (e.g. of what someone wears, where they go and who they see). It can also include being pressured to have sex and rape. Evidence shows that coercive and controlling behaviour is more likely to escalate into violence and then to become a pattern. So it is crucial to try to intervene early to break this cycle.
Why focus on young people’s relationships?
Domestic abuse is more often seen as an ‘adult’ problem; however, data from this year’s British Crime Survey has shown that teenage girls between 16 and 19 are now the group most at risk of domestic abuse, closely followed by girls aged 20-24. Evidence shows that coercive and controlling behaviour is more likely to escalate into violence and then to become a pattern. So it is crucial to try to intervene early to break this cycle.
Domestic abuse is still very much a ‘hidden’ issue in our society, and it is even more so for teenagers. This is exacerbated by the fact that teenagers are known to be more acceptant and tolerant of abusive behaviour than their adult counterparts and that victim blaming is widespread. A survey by the NSPCC and sugar magazine (2006) found that 16% of those surveyed had been hit by a boyfriend, 6% forced to have sex and 40% of them accepted this behaviour.
What are the signs of an abusive relationship?
It’s very difficult to know whether someone is being abused or not, however, the following may be indicators that something is wrong: • Changes in everyday routines • Unexplained bruises, broken bones, sprains, or marks - or explanations that don’t fit the injury. • Wearing inappropriate clothing to try to cover up bruises, marks, etc. • Isolation or withdrawal from their usual circle of friends and from family • Avoidance of school or social events and activities • Spend excessive amounts of time with the person they're seeing, repeated phone / text messages • Constantly having to explain themselves to their girl/boyfriend
Get support
There are many organisations that will provide help, locally and nationally. Some are for parents, providing advice on how to talk to teenagers and how best to approach the subject, while others are set up to deal with specific issues such as sexual and domestic violence. Helpful websites for young people include: http://thisisabuse.direct.gov.uk/ which is a website dedicated to the issue of teenage relationship abuse and www.thehideout.org.uk which is a specialist site for children and young people affected by domestic abuse.
Information for Parents Information for Young People
Useful contacts
Local:
The Island Women’s Refuge – offer practical and emotional help, advice and support. T: 01983 825981 (24 hour helpline)
Treetops SARC - The Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) is based in Portsmouth and is available to anyone, male or female, over the age of 13 who has been a victim of rape or serious sexual assault in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. T: 023 9221 0352 - www.treetopscentre.co.uk
Victim Support – based locally in Newport. Volunteers can help you and your child if they have been a victim of abuse or violence. Victim Support can also be accessed via a drop-in service every other Friday from 11am – 1pm, at the Samaritans, 52 South Street, Newport. T: 01983 539635 or 0845 30 30 900 – www.victimsupport.org.
National:
Parentlineplus – a national charity that works for and with parents. T: 0808 800 2222 www.parentlineplus.org.uk
Refuge & Women’s Aid – provide a free, 24-hour national domestic violence helpline. T: 0808 2000 247 – www.refuge.org.uk / womensaid.org.uk
Rape Crisis – offers a range of specialist services for women and girls who have been raped or experienced another form of sexual violence – whether as adults, teenagers or children. T: 0808 802 9999 – www.rapecrisis.org.uk
Respect – a charity that runs support services and programmes for those who inflict domestic violence, and an advice line for men who are victims of domestic violence. T: 0845 122 8609 – www.respectphoneline.org.uk
Men’s Advice Line – also run by Respect, this is a helpline for male victims of domestic violence. T: 0808 801 0327 – www.mensadviceline.org.uk
Broken Rainbow – for lesbians, gay men, bi-sexual and transgender people experiencing domestic abuse. T: 033 999 5428 – www.brokenrainbow.org.uk
