Till Death Do Us Part: Teenage Love Not So Innocent Anymore"

Teens are entering into romantic relationships much younger and more frequently nowadays. The lifespan of youthful innocence has been shortened dramatically by the change in family structure, technology and economic cuts to programs that allowed children to embrace the normal path of youth development until it ran its natural course. 

Teens trying to tackle the adult responsibilites that come with a committed relationship in addition to the modern-day family changes have made having a relationship the new trend to follow. Unfortunately, the idea of "keeping your partner in check", or controlling your mate with violence if they "step out of line" has also become the new trend. As with most domestic violence situations, severe injuries, self-esteem issues, and even death can occur...but in our younger couples, the rate is tripled because teens refuse to report their abusive situations for fear of losing their abusers. Do our children stand a chance?