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Teen Couple Separating

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Stories of women being killed at the hands of men because of relationship disputes or rejection have become tragic staples in today’s headlines. These murders, which seem to be on the rise as society flails in the throws of toxic masculinity, have been declared a “public health issue” in this country.

A new study from the University Of Washington, explains that teen relationship issues often turn to homicide. The report, published in JAMA Pediatrics medical journal, found that of the 2,000 U.S. homicides of children aged 11 to 18 between 2003  and 2016, almost 7% of the teens were killed be a former or current intimate partner.

“This is a public health issue that should be taken seriously,” Avanti Adhia, the study’s lead author told USA Today. “While not a common occurrence, it does occur more often than people realize.”

Adhia wants to encourage more teens to talk about domestic violence because their silence is now becoming a matter of life and death.

Continuing, “People think that intimate-partner violence among adolescents is less serious than among adults,” said Adhia, an epidemiologist at the University of Washington School of Medicine. “It’s important to highlight that this can really lead to death. It’s not something to brush off as ‘This is just an argument between kids.'”

It is important to note while the victims tend to be teens, their partners are often in their twenties. The average age of the girls killed was 17, with their partners averaging around 4 years older, the data explains.

For girls, and the families of girls, it’s important for adults to pay attention to when relationships end, because the jealousy and rejection experienced by the partner can trigger violence.

The study recommends all states “strongly consider” statutes allowing teens to get orders of protection without parental consent.

 

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