Teen Dating Abuse
Dating abuse is when one partner tries to exert power or control over his or her dating partner. It can be a pattern of abusive behaviors that develop over time.
Unfortunately, violence in dating relationships is not uncommon: dating abuse affects around 1.5 million teens annually, and statistics show that 1 in 3 teenagers has experienced dating violence. Dating violence can affect anyone. Although most victims are women — who are also at greater risk for serious injury — it affects men as well.
Every relationship is different, and sometimes it can be hard to tell when it has crossed the line from healthy to unhealthy. The following are signs that your relationship may be going in the wrong direction:
Click here for a checklist and quizzes on elements of healthy, unhealthy, and even abusive relationships.
How to Get Help
If you (or someone you care about) is in an unhealthy relationship or is a victim of dating violence, know that you are not alone. Help and support are available. No one deserves to be abused or threatened. Remember that you cannot change your batterer, and in time, the violence will get worse, sometimes lethal. You need to take care of yourself.
Talk to an adult you can trust, locate a shelter or agency serving victims of intimate partner violence/domestic abuse in your community, or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233).