Sexual Motivation

• Teenage growth is the period when hormones are at their height. Many couples are broken and formed during this period to satisfy these sexual hormonal changes. However, teenagers are also prone to being victimized for sex during this period because of hormone-induced violent tendencies. Some early signs include being called sex names, harmful sexual contact or acting indifferent towards complaints. Given time, these signs may escalate to sexual coercion, even to the point of rape.
  
  

Obsession

• Teenagers who have an unusually strong infatuation with their partners sometimes completely submit themselves to the whims of their partner. A teenager may completely bend himself to his partner's whims out of fear of losing his partner. Most teens in this situation are completely aware that their partners are abusing them, but they believe that their partner can change if given time, even if there are no signs of change.
  
  

Abandonment

• Teenagers who have abandonment issues from friends or family may choose to start and stay in violent relationships to fight their loneliness. A teenager may use violence in her relationship as an outlet for her emotional instability and lack of support. On the other hand, a teenager would choose to stay in a violent relationship if there is simply no one else to turn to. In a 2000 study reported by AtHealth.com, 30 percent of surveyed teens did not tell anyone about the violent incident, 61 percent simply told a friend and only 9 percent went to authorities or family members.
  
  

Psychology Insight: Self Esteem

• Lack of self-esteem is a strong indicator that a teen might be prone to violent relationships. Teenagers are at an age where they are markedly susceptible to public opinion and deal with social problems on a daily basis. Teenagers who are not comfortable talking to parents, teachers and friends about their problem are much more willing to justify going into a violent relationship. Parents and family members are advised to communicate openly with their teen about any problems in school and to intervene at the first sign of violence. Organizations such as Moms and Dads for Education provide additional resources for teens and parents to become aware of violence issues and how to successfully solve them.