A number of damning statistics around abuse within adolescent relationships have been revealed.

A University of Otago paper released overnight shows nearly one in three high school students reported instances of physical violence in a relationship over the last year.

20 percent of female students and 9 percent of males said they had experienced unwanted sexual behaviour, with most incidents perpetrated by a friend.

As well, among those staying in women's refuges, 21 per cent were aged 15 to 19.

The paper says the issue of adolescent relationship violence doesn't attract the attention that violence in adult relationships gets.

Paper author Dr Melanie Beres, of the University of Otago, said there are two separate issues at play.

She said it shows "the severity of what does and can happen in adolescent relationships".

"It also speaks to the lack of support around those individuals, in terms of needing to seek that support," she said.

Dr Beres said violence within adolescent relationship often falls through the cracks.

"We think that they're fleeting and that next week they'll have a different love interest, so that also extents to the way in which adults think about violence in adolescent relationships."

Women's Refuge chief executive Dr Ang Jury said a lot of young people don't think they are being abused until it becomes physical.

"What these kids are facing to start with, is that emotional and psychological violence, and they don't necessarily know it's wrong because we don't put enough emphasis on it."

Youthline is desperate to get teenagers asking for help, with their spokesperson, Briana Hill, saying the number of adolescents abused could be worse, as they know young people in New Zealand constantly downplay what's going on in their lives.

"One in two young people in New Zealand don't think their problems are big enough to ask for help.

"There's a lot of stuff in sexual violence that's tied up in shame, particularly when somebody has been through something quite traumatic."

Police advice for people in family violence situations

- In an emergency dial 111 and ask for the Police.

- If you or anyone you know is a victim of violence, talk to police or someone who can help.

- If you are concerned about your safety, you (or family or friends) can request information relating to the violence history of a new partner through the Family Violence Information Disclosure Scheme