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

  Here are some questions to ask yourself.  Yes to any of these questions means you need to get out!  Talk to someone who can help you,  Parents, school counselor, coach, youth pastor, an abuse hotline,  even a friend's parents. 

• 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?