We are ending February, the month that has been decreed to raise awareness about abusive relationships and dating violence, a problem that has become more visible in recent years, but has also left aside a vulnerable population, adolescents.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 1 in 3 teen dating relationships involve violence and that at least 1 in 12 teens have experienced physical or sexual dating violence.
Although there is much talk about abusive relationships, there is misinformation among teenagers, as this population group is one of the most influenced by the industry's series and films, which romanticize this type of relationship under the argument of the supposed "true love that endures all things."
But it is not only the content that comes out of the big production companies that influences teenagers to stay in abusive relationships, because the culture of their families also plays an important role because sometimes —and because of their parents' beliefs—, young people feel that they have no one to talk to about what they are experiencing with their partners.
According to the CDC, violence can be physical, sexual, psychological, and even stalking, and can occur between married couples, dating partners, and sexual partners. It can also involve actions such as threats, use of force, drug administration, assault, humiliation, control of sexual and reproductive health, among others, which can even end in fatal consequences ranging from emotional and psychological damage to the death of the victim.
Ana Campos, a 17-year-old woman, victim of an abusive relationship, commented at a press conference organized by Ethnic Media Services where experts met to discuss the problem of abusive relationships, and one of the reasons why young women do not recognize the warning signs of an abusive relationship is misinformation, since in their words "they do not teach us at home or in school."
In this regard, Campos pointed out the need for schools to teach how to recognize the warning signs of an abusive relationship, instead of hiding it due to taboos, so that young people can break this cycle of violence.
Campos said that her partner was very manipulative and that there were several warning signs, however she stressed that social media did not allow her to realize this, since many couples show a perfect relationship, which led her to romanticize her partner's actions.
"He was very manipulative, constantly checking my phone without my permission and getting angry over meaningless things," she said.
Ana's sister was the one who noticed the warning signs of an abusive relationship and with the help of psychological support she has been able to leave that toxic relationship behind.
It is clear that not only adults and experts have been concerned about domestic violence, but also young people, since they are precisely the ones who seek to prevent their acquaintances from going through an abusive relationship, but also to raise awareness about the importance of the influence that large production companies, social networks and culture have on this problem.
In this regard, Armaan Sharma, a young student at a private school in Fremont, pointed out that social media and audiovisual content from large production companies are representing a problem for young people, since these are the platforms that romanticize abusive relationships.
"Netflix has movies like 365 Days that literally romanticize rape," she said.
Sharma also stressed the importance of parents engaging in dialogue with young people to create an environment of trust that allows those in an abusive relationship to break the cycle of violence.
"If parents don't initiate conversations about relationships or create a safe space for discussion, young people won't have information about these issues... problems with relationships or violence among young people will not be addressed, adolescents will suffer and cycles of violence will continue," she said.
In that sense, Kandee Lewis, president of the Center for Positive Results and founder of Black Women Leaders of Los Angeles, pointed out that young people need to know what a healthy relationship really is but also feel that their family is part of a safe space.
"Your child really wants to know that you care, because if you don't take the time to talk to your child, someone else will and that someone else could be the abuser," she warned.
Megan Tanahashi, communications director for the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, said prevention can help keep young people from experiencing abusive relationships and pointed to the need to create spaces where they can speak out if they are victims of violence.
Isha Raheja, a member of the youth committee of the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, stressed the importance of schools addressing these issues, as failure to do so fosters taboos around the issue.
"I am not surprised that violence in teenage relationships can be considered taboo by some," she stressed.
Raheja said conversations need to be held with young people on a personal level to turn apathy into empathy and interest and create safe spaces for them.
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