Dating violence and teen pregnancy

"DOCTORS WALK fine line on teen pregnancy" (Health & Science, Oct. 6) does a fine job of addressing the challenges facing doctors whose teen patients may be sexually active, but it omits one common and dangerous problem facing youth today - dating violence. Relationship violence often begins at a young age, while pediatricians are still the victims' healthcare providers. A Journal of the American Medical Association study concluded that one in five female Massachusetts public high school students reported physical and/or sexual violence from a dating partner. Study after study tells us that teen girls are at risk for abuse by boyfriends.

The consequences of dating violence can include unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. Teens who experience dating violence are more likely to smoke, drink, use drugs and have eating disorders than others.

Prevention starts when teen girls can disclose the violence to a caring, responsible adult who knows how to help. Doctors often are in a unique position to do just that, and to give boys messages about the importance of building healthy relationships.

LONNA DAVIS and LISA JAMES
The writers are director of children's programs (Boston) and director of health programs (San Francisco), respectively, of the Family Violence Prevention Fund.