Abusive teenage relationships are not a new occurrence. However, what is new is the prevalence of unhealthy relationships in the media. Everywhere  teens look, they see dysfunctional relationships that display symptoms such as dominance, disloyalty, constant arguing and controlling behavior. Not only are they told that this is healthy, but that it is the ideal relationship.

Our generation has seemingly developed this love affair with dysfunctional relationships. Pretty Little Liars, an ABC Family teen drama that is very popular among De Soto High School students, features a relationship between a high school student and a teacher. The show deliberately romanticizes this relationship which has many teenagers, including some DHS students, believing that this relationship is okay.

Another instance is Edward and Bella from The Twilight Saga. While this isn’t as much of a fad as it was several years ago, middle school students are still reading the Twilight books and are still watching the movies.

Even though these books and movies can be mildly entertaining, they portray an even deeper issue. Initially, Bella and the audience view Edward as a troubled soul who needs a gentle, kind-hearted girl to help him through his rough patch. He needs someone to fix him. Bella takes over this role and sacrifices everything, including her life, to help him. In return, Edward claims he wants to kill Bella on a daily basis (because her blood is irresistible to him), separates her from her family and friends and constantly puts her in dangerous situations. Although he “loves” her, does all of this really have any place in the ideal romance? No.

Some may argue that this is fine. It’s a vampire romance, after-all. It’s not to be taken seriously. However, most read these books or watch these movies at a young and impressionable age. Besides, there are many other examples that teens are exposed to.

Anyone who has ever seen an MTV “reality tv” show knows what an unhealthy relationship is. Any relationship seen on a show like 16 and Pregnant is unhealthy. The relationships portrayed in this show display constant arguing and name calling. Not to mention that the majority of these relationships exist only due to the child of the two teens.

Any relationship with excessive fighting and arguing is not healthy. Also if there is a sense of power that one person has over another, it isn’t healthy. If there is any disloyalty or repetitive cheating, it is not healthy. Another main component of a dysfunctional relationship is a lack of trust between the two people. Without trust, there is no real relationship.

Despite the fact that these unhealthy qualities and many more are   commonly displayed and romanticized in the media, those exposed to these shows and characters are not being adequately taught the warning signs of unhealthy relationships.