|
|
Adolescent Development and Relationships
Adolescence is a time when romantic intimacy is discovered for the first time. Young people are experimenting with and developing their own sense of identity and within their relationships. While young adolescents feel enormous pressure to conform to peer norms, they are generally inexperienced in dating relationships. They may have difficulty managing the complexity of feelings, decisions, and conflicts that arise in their relationships. They tend to romanticize relationships and interpret jealousy and possessiveness as signs of love. Adolescents have difficulty defining abuse as a problem, which only adds to their vulnerability and potential for further violence. Adolescent development includes experiencing “emotional” tasks throughout their development, in addition to many physical changes. The following chart is adapted from the Relationship Abuse Prevention Project (RAPP) program of the Center against Domestic Violence. | Features of Adolescent Development | Relevance to Adolescent IPV | Tactics of Abuse |
|---|
| Struggle with a Sense of Identity | May look to others to define self; may stay in abusive relationship for status reasons. | Victim is told what to think, what to do, who to talk to; victims may be forced to conform to the abuser’s lifestyle or may be told that his/her purpose is to care for them. | | Observe Changes In and Work Toward Acceptance of Body | May be more likely to believe insults, may be more dependent on a partner who makes them feel attractive or desirable; May engage in sexual behavior that is not pleasurable because someone tells them it is suppose to “feel good.” | May be insulted on the basis of physical appearance, criticized for how she/he eats, dresses, talks, etc., may be forced to diet, workout, or dress in a certain style. Abuser may force sexual activity; victim may be raped. | | Struggle to Become Less Dependent on Caregiver | May shift dependence from caregiver to partner, thus developing an unhealthy dependence on partner | Abuser may require total dependence on him/her, isolating victim from friends and family; abuser may use tensions between family/caregiver and victim to further isolate victim | | Rule and Limit Testing | May take greater risks and engage in unsafe behaviors, sexual and otherwise; may be impulsive, rebellious, and/or resistant to parent-created limits. | Abuser may be reckless with victim’s life/safety (driving, drugs, sex); abuser may pressure victim to engage in risky, harmful behaviors. | | Mostly Interested in Present; Limited Thoughts of Future | May not consider effects of present behavior on future. | May be told that things will never change, that she/he will never be able to leave the relationship and will always be dependent on abuser. | | Increased Capacity for Setting Goals | May be afraid to “do better” than partner; may underachieve to call less attention to self; may be afraid to pursue interests outside relationship | May be told she/he is stupid and will never achieve anything; may be perceived as a threat to abuser’s success. |
<< PreviousNext >> |
