Today First Features tackles the issue of domestic abuse within teen relationships in The Mirror newspaper.
Though not often talked about, the level of violence and abuse among teenagers appears disturbingly high and with the help of the NSPCC and Women’s Aid First Features looks at the reasons behind the issue.
In our piece we tell the story of Tammy Warsop’s abusive relationship with an older man.
Tammy met her future husband Kevin Warsop, 41, when she was just 17. It wasn’t long until Kevin’s possessive ways began to show and he started controlling the way Tammy dressed, who she spoke to and who she saw.
Kevin first assaulted Tammy when he was drunk. Despite Tammy’s mother warning her to leave him, Tammy accepted Kevin’s apology and they continued to date. Tammy says: “I believed him and at that age I was very defiant and thought I knew best.” Sadly, the assault was not a one off and what developed was a relationship of terror, where Kevin used emotional and physical abuse to beat Tammy.
Despite this, Tammy married Kevin in 2005 when she was pregnant, but the beatings and torment didn’t stop. Kevin threatened Tammy that if she ever left him, he would not only kill her but also her family. She didn’t think she would ever escape.
Finally, Tammy sought the help of Women’s Aid, the police’s domestic abuse unit and social services and discovered a way out of her hellish marriage.
Unfortunately, Tammy’s story is just one example of abuse among teens. New research has shown that some even consider it normal.
Last week, the NSPCC released a report that showed violence in teenage relationships was actually higher than at first believed.
More than half the girls in the study, which focused on teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds, said they had experienced violence in at least one of their relationships. Sadly, more than half of the girls said they had been in sexually violent relationships before the age of 18.
Fiona Dwyer, national children and young people’s officer at Women’s Aid, believes the failure to recognise the abuse is the major problem among young adults. Fiona says: “Disclosing domestic abuse is difficult at any age but it’s made worse as teens tend not to trust people anyway.”
Chris Cloke, Head of Child Protection Awareness at the NSPCC says: “We want to put across a very clear message that nobody needs to be forced into having a relationship against their will and no one should have to put up with the violence.”
If you feel you are involved in an abusive relationship you can visit: http://thisisabuse.direct.gov.uk or www.thehideout.org.uk – a website run by Women’s Aid for young people affected by domestic violence. You can also visit www.womensaid.org.uk or call the National Domestic Violence Helpline on 0808 800 5000. For under 16s call ChildLine on 0800 11 11. Men suffering domestic abuse can call the Men’s Advice Line on 0808 801 0327
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