What is Teen Dating Violence?

Dating violence (or relationship abuse) is a pattern of over-controlling behavior that someone uses against a girlfriend or boyfriend. Dating violence can take many forms, including mental/emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. It can occur in both casual dating situations and serious, long-tem relationships.
Dating abuse can have serious consequences! The effects range from missing a few classes to attempting suicide. Abuse also affects future relationships. All consequences make compelling reasons to prevent abuse before it starts, or to speak out against it.

If you need help call 888-774-2900 or loveisrespect.org.

How is teen dating violence different from adult domestic violence?
There are several things that make teenage dating violence different from adult domestic violence. Usually, when a teen is abused, she becomes isolated from her peers because of the controlling behavior of her abusive partner.

The isolation teens face in abusive dating situations often makes it hard to:

• develop new and mature relationships with peers of both sexes. 
• feel emotionally independent. 
• develop personal values and beliefs. 
• stay focused on school and get good grades.
  

Teen dating violence can also cause problems in the long run: 

• Depression
• Suicide attempts 
• Eating disorders 
• Drug and alcohol abuse 
• Medical problems 
•  Inability to succeed in school or at work later in life
  

Are you a victim of dating violence?
Answer the questions below. If you answer yes to two or more of them, you are probably in an abusive relationship, or your relationship is likely to become abusive. Abuse isn't just hitting. It's yelling, threatening, name-calling, saying things like, "I'll kill myself if you leave me," obsessive phone calling, and extreme possessiveness.

Are you going out with someone who ...

• is jealous and possessive, won't let you have friends, checks up on you, won't accept breaking up?
• tries to control you by being bossy, giving orders, making all the decisions, not taking your opinions seriously?
• puts you down in front of friends, tells you that you would be nothing without him?
• scares you?
• makes you worry about his reactions to things you say or do? 
• threatens you? 
• uses or owns guns or other weapons? 
• is violent? 
• has a history of fighting, loses temper quickly, brags about mistreating others? 
• grabs, pushes, shoves, or hits you? 
• pressures you for sex or is forceful or scary about sex? 
• gets too serious about the relationship too fast? 
• abuses alcohol or other drugs and pressures you
  to take them? 
• has a history of failed relationships, and blames the other person for all the problems? 
• makes your family and friends uneasy and concerned for your safety? 
• makes you feel like you need to apologize to yourself or others for your boyfriend's behavior when he treats you badly?