DETROIT – February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, and last year’s killing of 17-year-old London Thomas serves as a sad reminder that domestic violence can affect anyone, regardless of age.
“I experienced abuse as an adult,” Dr. So’Phelia Morrow, an assistant professor at Wayne State University’s School of Social Work, said on Friday.
A Flint native, Morrow spent years studying intimate partner violence, with a particular focus on middle-class black women and girls, such as Thomas.
“I was getting a PhD at the time, so I have multiple degrees on paper, but yet I’m in a financially abusive relationship to the point where I’m being starved to death, essentially,” Morrow said. “This is happening to black girls and women irrespective of our income and our education level.”
Thomas was found dead on April 26, 2025. Her body was discovered inside a plastic bin in Southfield.
Her boyfriend, 24-year-old Jalen Pendergrass, and his 49-year-old mother, Charla Pendergrass, are currently facing 1st degree murder, unlawful imprisonment, and evidence tampering charges in connection with her death.
She was last seen when she was dropped off at the Pendergrass’ Inkster home on April 5, 2025.
It’s the worst-case scenario for intimate partner violence.
“Black girls and women are dying in horrific ways,” Morrow said. “So, we really need to step up and look at, again, look at ourselves from within.
Dr. Morrow says that often, so much of domestic violence, particularly against Black women and teens, is also about reflexively protecting the Black men involved.
“That’s when we talk about the community being involved because the mother had a very important role and the mother could have intervened, but she chose to side with her son,” Morrow said. “What we’re going to have to do as a community is let go of patriarchy because no one person should be the head of something; it should be an equal partnership.”
An estimated 1.5 million teens admit to being in an unhealthy or abusive relationship.
Morrow noted that both girls and boys can be victims of teen dating violence.
Dr. Morrow says that doing your due diligence as parents includes getting as much information about your partner as possible.
“Irrespective of the gender of your teen, ask them what’s going on,” Morrow said. “Your teenage daughter might be the perpetrator; it may not be your teenage son.
“Asking them what is going on in your life, who are you dating, what’s your partner like,” Morrow said. “Because what that does is that helps you set a baseline for if a situation arises.”
Teens involved in unhealthy or abusive relationships are more likely to suffer from debilitating or limiting long-term consequences. These include:
- Depression.
- Anxiety.
- Alcoholism or drug abuse.
- Eating disorders.
- Suicidal ideation
- Sexually transmitted diseases.
All of these are reasons, Dr. Morrow says, to continue to stay vigilant – and understanding – with your teenager and make sure you keep an open line of communication with them, while not being judgmental and putting aside your personal pride as parents.
“Keep those lines of communication open,” she said. “You’ll have a baseline to compare it to if a situation arises.
“But you have to become comfortable with the uncomfortable,” she added. “This is about your teen’s safety and their life. That’s what comes first.”
If you are in a Domestic Violence situation, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text “BEGIN” to 88788.