Clinicians' Primer on the Epidemiology of Adolescent Relationship Violence.

Abstract

Adolescent relationship violence (ARV) is the use of coercive, controlling, and violent behavior within romantic adolescent relationships. It presents with patterned behaviors that occur in a cyclic fashion. ARV is common across all demographics and encompasses modalities such as physical, sexual, psychological, digital and financial abuse; reproductive coercion, and stalking. Exposure increases risk for serious acute and chronic physical and mental health consequences, including death. In the first article of this 2-part series, the authors describe the social, psychological, and medical context of ARV; in part two, the author's focus on practical aspects for approaching ARV in clinical encounters.