Bronx teenagers are getting hit by Cupid’s arrows. Many teens see being in a romantic relationship as beneficial because it offers them emotional support, care and security. Even though relationships have pros and cons, when speaking with Bronx teens, some dating factors resonate.

Teenagers in relationships often develop a sort of dependence on their significant other. Anthony Garriga, a single 17-year-old with past dating experience, said he has developed an attachment to a former girlfriend.

“She got to comfort me, and is actually there for me. That’s really all I need from a girl. When my friends aren’t there, she [has] to be. And that’s what matters,” he said. When discussing his past relationships, Anthony realized that his girlfriend instilled positive values such as facing obstacles, applying for college, taking care of his siblings, and working.

Anthony said there weren’t many downsides to his past relationships, and said he saw relationships as mostly comforting. This emotional support that comes with relationships is what teenagers crave at a time of need. Even though relationships can end, teenagers create a sense of comfort in themselves after the relationship.

But adults frequently around teens have a different outlook on teen relationships and how they impact a teenager’s life. Megan Steenrod, a teacher at Renaissance High School for Musical Theater and Technology in the Pelham Bay section of the Bronx, believes teenage relationships are “distracting, disruptive, damaging — and utterly necessary.” Steenrod, who works with teenagers five days a week, says relationships, even bad ones, are a rite of passage. They “are an integral part of the teenage experience and there’s no getting around that,” she said. [T]hey “also offer an opportunity to learn about oneself and grow.”

According to Emerald Fletcher, 15, who attends Harry S. Truman High School in the Baychester section of the Bronx, teenage relationships were shown to offer emotional support and reflection. Emerald said her boyfriend of three years was someone she didn’t want to be without. “[W]e get into some issues, but he always pushes me forward. When I’m in a bad place, I go to him and he really brings out the better in me,” she said. Emerald explained the position her partner has in her life, and that he is always busy with football, so he’s always traveling. The relationship is very significant since they’ve been a part of each other’s life since they were kids. Emerald added that every time he’s away, he calls to talk about their day, and to make sure that all is well.

The Stage of Life website surveyed more than 4900 teenagers in April 2014 and found roughly 60 percent of them said they believe relationships are negative. The survey also showed that 61 percent of teenagers have been “in love.”

Teenage relationships that go bad are most commonly the result of abuse coming from a partner. According to LoveIsRespect.org, “One in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds rates of other types of youth violence.”

However, relationships can be something to build upon, Steenrod pointed out. “I also acknowledge that teenagers are figuring out who they are, how they relate to others, what they expect of themselves and the people they are close to. And the way to figure this out is sometimes through heartbreak and recovery, having those relationships and learning, firsthand, how they affect your life,” she said.