Teenagers from a severely disadvantaged background are more likely to end up in an abusive relationship, with many even viewing violence as a normal yet unwanted aspect of dating, according to a new study titled Standing on my own two feet.
Researchers with the U.K.’s University of Bristol surveyed 82 male and female teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18. All of the children had either been expelled from school, had an arrest record or were teenage mothers.
"Tragically, control and violence seem to be so prevalent in these relationships that girls are unable to recognize its impact: it is an everyday happening," explained lead author Christine Barter. "Many girls found it very difficult to see that their partner’s behavior is abusive."
Many of the children surveyed had suffered some sort of abuse at the hands of a romantic partner – including even being forced into sex – but few chose to report the incidents to authorities.
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