Truancy, failing, withdrawal from activities, dropping out of school. Sudden or increased isolation. Sudden mood changes , such as depression, acting out, anxiety. Use of alcohol or drugs , which may be taken under pressure or to numb anxiety over the relationship. Many teenaged girls think pregnancy will get them out of a bad situation, but more than 70 percent of pregnant teens or teen moms are beaten by their boyfriends, according to Rawlings.
Pregnancy significantly increases the risk of violence in teenage relationships.
If any of this sounds familiar, talk to your parents, school guidance counselor or a friend who can help. All too often, when boy dates girl, there is abuse - a pattern that may continue when they're adults. He started out being real charming, telling me how beautiful I looked without makeup, how I should save my nice clothes for dates with him, not for school. But after a few months, I began to understand he was controlling my life. If I contradicted him, he got angry and threw things.