High school and young adulthood in general is filled with tribulations and hardships, with some problems being more serious than others. Issues such as teasing and bullying have proved to be more prevalent in the lives of today's teenagers. Relationship issues are also common among young adults. But what happens when the bully is a boyfriend or girlfriend?

What happens when ignoring the problem is dangerous, and "just walking away" is just too painful?

Teen dating violence is becoming a major problem among young adults and has increased dramatically over the past few years. According to loveisrespect.com, one in three adolescents in the United States has been a victim of dating violence, whether emotional, verbal, sexual or physical abuse.

This statistic exceeds all other forms of violence in youth. Violence of this caliber typically develops between ages 12 and 18. Dating violence has countless amounts of negative effects, which include a higher risk of victims to develop eating disorders, abuse substances, commit risky sexual behaviors and more. However, dating violence may also lead to death.

One case that occurred in the Lehigh Valley exemplifies the dangers of teenage dating violence.

On June 4, 2010, a relationship forbidden by culture, religion and tradition ended in tragedy.

Darius Maurer, a 2008 graduate of Emmaus High School, was convicted of the rape and death of his alleged girlfriend of three months Donya Abdulrrazak. Later that day, Maurer attempted suicide by stabbing himself in the chest and crashing his car into a barrier on Route 309.

For an EHS project, Maurer was contacted about the tragic event.

According to Maurer, their story began at Weis Markets in Emmaus, where the two worked together. Abdulrrazak grew up in war-torn Iraq, and later moved to a refugee camp where she graduated high school. She and her family left the Middle East in 2006 and settled in Emmaus. Abdulrrazak later attended Cedar Crest College and planned to get a degree in nursing.

Maurer studied at Lehigh Carbon Community College while taking graphic design courses at Lehigh County Technical Institute and balancing two jobs. Their lives were just beginning to take off. Maurer said upon meeting, the two became fast friends, but their friendship turned to romance quickly.

In a seven-page letter to the EHS newspaper, "The Stinger," Maurer explained their relationship.

"Not only were we best friends, we also regarded each other as soul mates. We were inseparable; our bond felt too powerful to ever sever."

Maurer said cultural differences, however, would soon prove to be a restriction for the couple.

Abdulrrazak practiced a conservative Iraqi culture, in which being involved with someone of a different culture and religion is dishonorable. So, Maurer said, the couple chose to keep their relationship a secret.

However, the fear of being discovered quickly took over. Maurer said he encouraged Abdulrrazak to tell her parents about their relationship, and according to Verizon records, her family knew about their relationship or at least had suspicions.

Maurer said the strain of hiding the powerful feelings they had for one another soon led to depression among both of the young adults. He said the two sent over 12,000 text messages back in forth in one month alone, filled with words of desperation, hopelessness and suicide.

Now, Maurer is serving a life sentence in Rockview State Prison, and says he still grieves the loss of Abdulrrazak.

In a letter written to "The Stinger," Maurer wrote, "If your relationship has to be kept a secret…that may mean maybe there shouldn't be one in the first place."

The story of Abdulrrazak and Maurer ended tragically, but there is hope for those experiencing similar situations.

There are many ways to avoid future tragedies and exit unhealthy relationships.

According to loveisrespect.com, there are several warning signs to detect an unhealthy relationship. These include extreme jealousy, insecurity, possessiveness, false accusations, isolation from friends and family, constant put downs, manipulation, physical abuse and an explosive temper. It is important to recognize these symptoms, as they can lead to dangerous situations.

If a relationship does include the warning signs mentioned above, it is crucial to get help immediately.

According to the National Teen Dating Violence Prevention Initiative, only 33 percent of teens involved in an abusive relationship ever reported the abuse. Teens and young adults involved in unhealthy relationships are encouraged to tell their parents, teachers, guardians, or other trusted adults to choose the best way to handle the situation.

In addition, there are also many other outlets to handle the abuse and receive counseling and even shelter. These include Turning Point Lehigh Valley, Center for Humanistic Change, National Domestic Violence Hotline, Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Valley Youth House in Bethlehem.

Logan Beck

Emmaus High School senior and East Penn Press columnist