Partner violence: adopting a public health approach to addressing the problem

Adolescence is an exciting, critical period of development, where young people develop a sense of self, new peer and romantic relationships and have an opportunity to explore a range of new experiences. However, due to the enormity of biological, psychological, sociological and environmental changes that occur during this stage of life, young people are also vulnerable to a range of risks, one of which is intimate partner violence. Due to the lack of research on experiences of violence in adolescent intimate partner relationships, there is limited awareness and recognition of this abuse in young people, so they are often silent victims. Therefore, the aim of this article is to provide a narrative review of adolescent intimate partner violence, and to highlight the importance of adopting a public health approach, which involves transdisciplinary working to deliver primary, secondary and tertiary preventative interventions to address this hidden issue.