Teenage girls can easily find themselves in a situation that they never expected. When you get a boyfriend, they are supposed to protect you from other people. That is the case in most instances, but there are far too many incidents that are quite the opposite. The boyfriend can turn out to be physically abusive towards them. Teenage girls being abused by their boyfriends is so prevalent that there was a very serious storyline done on the subject in the soap opera “General Hospital” in the late winter months of 2010. This storyline is all too real for many teenage girls in the United States. It is time to bring this problem to the forefront so that young girls who think they are in love aren’t “dying to be loved”. Parents as well as teenagers need to know about this important subject.
Here is what you should do if you are a teenage girl being physically abused by her boyfriend:
The First Time
No matter how minor you think it is, always tell someone the first time that your boyfriend lays a hand on you. That includes pushing, slapping, threatening or even holding you down. There is no reason at all for any of these actions. These actions will lead to worse abuse later such as punching and/or kicking. Never allow someone to put their hands on you even if they don’t physically harm you the first time. The first time your boyfriend touches or threatens to touch you assures that he will do it again if given the chance and the second and all subsequent times get worse as you go along.
Tell
Always tell about the abuse to someone. Don’t make the mistake that your boyfriend is sincere when he apologizes. He’s not sorry that he did it, he’s only worried that he will get in trouble for it. The boyfriend will often apologize in order to get you back and to keep himself out of trouble. They often mean it when they say “sorry” but it doesn’t last long. It is important that you do not keep his secret for him. That is him trying to control you and the more you let him do it, the worse things will get. He will not respect you more for keeping his secret.
Get Counseling
If you have been abused by your boyfriend, you need to get counseling. This is especially true if you have had a hard time staying away from him even with the abuse. A counselor will be able to help you work through your problems. Abuse victims often feel as though they deserved what they got. That is because the boyfriend convinces them that they are to blame. It is hard to overcome those types of feelings so talking to an expert is the best way to help deal with them.
Rely on Friends
Let your friends be there for you. Many teenage girls being abused by their boyfriends won’t tell even the closest of friends. They hide it because they know that their friends will try to talk them into leaving the boyfriend. Your friends can help you through the most difficult time in your life. That is what friends are there for. Instead of going out with the abusive boyfriend, go out with your friends. They will help keep you busy and remind you that you are worth more than what your abusive boyfriend is giving you.
Your Parents
Your parents will be there for you if you give them the chance. Tell your parents about the physical abuse that your boyfriend has been putting you through. They can’t help you if they don’t know what is going on. Tell them so that they can protect you. The only way that your parents can help you is to tell them. They will know what to do to keep the boyfriend away from you.
Always remember that physical abuse is never okay. Get yourself out of the situation as soon as possible. Your safety should always come first. Physical abuse is not love, it is control. You don’t want to spend your life out of control, which is what you are when you are with a physically abusive person. Respect yourself more than that. If the abuse escalates, get the police involved. Physical abuse often ends in death for the person who is being mistreated. Don’t let yourself be one of the statistics.
