Look for the Signs

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. Here are a few signs to watch for: 　

A person who is in a violent relationship often is:

afraid of her partner’s temper*
afraid to break up because her partner has threatened to hurt himself or others
constantly apologizing for or defending her partner’s behavior
afraid to disagree with her partner
isolated from family or friends
embarrassed in front of others because of her partner’s words or actions
intimidated by her partner and coerced into having sex

* Pronoun choices reflect the fact that over 95% of the perpetrators of domestic violence are male.
　

A person who exhibits violent behavior in a relationship often:

has an explosive temper
is possessive or jealous of his partner’s time, friends, and/or family
constantly criticizes his partner’s thoughts, feelings, or appearance
pinches, slaps, grabs, shoves, or throws things at his partner
coerces or intimidates his partner into having sex
blames his partner for his own anger
causes his partner to be afraid
uses tears and/or threats of suicide to manipulate any situation

Get Help

If you are involved in a violent relationship, there are options:
Get help from someone you trust, preferably an adult.
Go to the counseling center or nurse’s office at your school.
Call Dove’s crisis hotline, 217-423-2238.
Avoid alcohol and drug use.
End the relationship and choose not to see your partner.
Do something before the relationship gets worse or the violence increases.

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