ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the case study of Jarold and May. One in three high school adolescents is verbally abused by a dating partner, a statistic that rises in college. Further, the risk of much self-harm behaviour, including unhealthy weight-management practices such as vomiting and laxative use, is higher in adolescent girls who have been abused by their partners. As was the case for May, intimate partner abuse among adolescents is associated with increased levels of clinical depression. It may be the painful humiliation associated with emotional, physical, or sexual abuse that leads to increased self-harm behaviours. However, because there was an injury, May should understand that her parents might want to take legal or other action to protect her from any emotional or physical abuse by Jarold. Jenny and Ken came to understand, with Ms. Wright’s support that May was choosing to be with Jarold, and that meant she was allowing herself to be emotionally abused.
