Teen Dating Abuse
Domestic abuse has no age boundaries. Violence can occur in any relationship. “No One Deserves To Be Abused.”
Dating violence or abuse affects one in four teens. Abuse isn’t just hitting. It includes yelling, threatening, name calling, saying “I’ll kill myself if you leave me,” obsessive phone calling or paging and extreme possessiveness.
Are you going out with someone who…
1. Is jealous and possessive, won’t let you have friends, checks up on you or won’t accept breaking up?
2. Tries to control you by being bossy, giving orders, making all the decisions, or not taking your opinion seriously?
3. Puts you down in front of friends or tells you that you would be nothing without him or her?
4. Scares you? Makes you worry about reactions to things you say or do? Threatens you? Uses or owns weapons?
5. Is violent? Has a history of fighting, loses his or her temper quickly, and brags about mistreating others? Grabs, shoves, pushes or hits you?
6. Pressures you for sex or is forceful or scary about sex?
7. Gets too serious about the relationship too fast?
8. Abuses alcohol or other drugs and pressures you to use them.
9. Has a history of failed relationships and always blames the other person for all of the problems?
10. Believes that he or she should be in control of the relationship?
11. Makes family and friends uneasy and concerned for your safety?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you may be involved in an abusive relationship. Both males and females can be victims of dating violence, as can partners in heterosexual and homosexual relationships.
