Relationship Violence and Teenage Parents

Abstract

Teenagers involved in a violent relationship are four to six times more likely to become pregnant than their nonvictim peers (Saewyc, Magee, & Pettingell, 2004). Though this is an area of growing concern and awareness, there remain large gaps in both the research and available supports for these victims of relationship violence. We do know that teen parents have an increased occurrence of past abuse and increased likelihood of becoming sexually active at both a younger age and with older men when compared with nonparenting teens. Within the context of these riskier sexual behaviors, teen parents experience a high likelihood of relationship violence. This type of emotionally, physically and/or sexually abusive relationship can have a tremendous negative impact on the teen parent, as well as increased negative outcomes for the children. Throughout this article, the impacts of abusive relationships on teen parents, their children, and the service providers who aim to intervene will be explored.