• Teen dating violence is caused by many reasons.crying girl face image by victor zastol"skiy from Fotolia.com
  
  Teen dating violence is hard to detect in a relationship unless the teen is open and direct about it. Violence is not just physical abuse, but includes mental abuse as well. Many young men and women just want their friends and family to accept their partners. This causes teens to be afraid of speaking out against abuse, lest their parents or friends try to break up the relationship. The most important thing to do is to ask your children to be completely open and honest with you. Allow them to make their own decisions, but point them in the right direction.
  
  

Control Issues

• Control issues may present themselves to teens as a sign of love or care for their well-being. These issues usually have characteristics of jealousy and mood swings when the violent partner does not get his way. Anger and isolation from others may also arise whenever the abusive partner becomes jealous of friends or family members. This could lead to verbal abuse, threats or intimidation of innocent parties. Many teens with control issues may deny their problem. They do not see it as one and feel there is no need to change.
  
  

Lack of Intimacy or Affection

• Teenage men or women may act out against their partner based on what they have experienced in their past. By viewing parental arguments, teens may think it is okay to fight with or physically abuse their partners. Sexual abuse can stem from lack of attention or intimacy from their partner. Males or females may believe they have the right to sexual gratification with their partner, and may act out if they do not receive it. This can result in forced intimacy involving physical coercion or guilt. The partner may feel pushed into the situation or forced even though she verbally consent to the act. This leaves her feeling ashamed and lowers her self-esteem.
  
  

Drug Abuse

• Teens may rely on drugs to get them through difficult times in their lives. These situations may result from various causes, including the normal mental and physical changes they are experiencing as teens. Drugs cause even more unexpected emotions and an unrealistic outlook toward others. This can stir up anger or violence in the teen when it would not occur otherwise. These emotions may be stronger if the teen is coming off the drugs or is experiencing withdrawal symptoms.