Interpersonal Violence at the Crossroads Between Adolescence and Adulthood

This article examines partner violence at the crossroads between adolescence and adulthood by talking with adolescent mothers--young women who straddle that crossroad. Drawing on ethnographic interviews conducted with 30 adolescent mothers, the accounts of 13 young mothers were analyzed to shed light on the ways in which their experiences of partner violence intersected with their developmental stage. Thematic analysis produced four general categories of themes that included physical proximity of family members, chaos at home, growing up in the shadow of abuse, and making the relationship work. Implications for future research and practice are explored.