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Teens & Youth

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Physical

  • in context of argument-hit the wall, drive recklessly, grab you and “forced you to listen”

  • pushes or shoves you

  • throws objects at you

  • restrains you

  • keeps you from leaving

  • blocks your path

  • hits you

  • abandons you in dangerous place

Love Is Respect

Loveisrespect’s mission is to engage, educate and empower young people to prevent and end abusive relationships

TeenDVMonth

TeenDVmonth.org, hosted by Break the Cycle, is the online hub for promotion of Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month in February.

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Break the Cycle is the leading national nonprofit organization providing comprehensive dating abuse programs exclusively to young people ages 12 to 24. From the classroom to the courtroom to the floor of Congress, we work every day to give young people, and those who care about them, the tools they need to live safer, healthier lives. 

That's Not Cool is a national public education campaign that uses digital examples of controlling, pressuring, and threatening behavior to raise awareness about and prevent teen dating abuse. 

Learn more about the issue and what you can do to help! A great place to learn about what a relationship should be. 

Teens Health

Teens Health is a safe, private place for teens who need honest, accurate information and advice about health, emotions, and life. TeensHealth is accessible 24 hours a day so you can get the doctor-approved information you need to make educated decisions — or help a friend who needs advice. 

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What is Teen Dating Violence?

A pattern of intentional coercive and/or abusive behaviors used by one person to gain and maintain power and control over a current or former dating partner.

How do I know if I am in an abusive relationship?

 

These are some of the most common things that happen in an abusive relationship. It is a combination of a few or all of these behaviors that make a person abusive. You can be in a bad relationship without it being abusive but these behaviors are not seen in healthy realtionships.

Manipulations

  • ignores your feelings

  • continually criticizes you, calls you names, shouts at you

  • makes all decisions for you

  • wants to control all your actions

  • humiliates you in public or private

  • ridicules your valued beliefs, heritage, religion etc…

  • often blames you or makes you feel guilty for what you have/haven’t done in relationship.

  • displays emotional outbursts when you do things without their permission

  • subjects you to reckless driving

  • finger in your face

  • hitting the wall in anger

  • threatens to commit suicide as a manipulation for you to stay

  • possessive

  • easily jealous

  • wants to know where you are at all time

Sexual Abuse

  • calls you sexual names that make you uncomfortable
  • insists you dress in a more sexual way
  • insists that you dress less sexually
  • minimizes your feelings about sex
  • accuses you of sexual activities with others
  • forces sex

Isolation

  • resents you having friends of your own

  • tries to distance you from family and friends

  • threatened harm to friends if you continue to see them

  • tries to control friendships-who you can see and when you can see them

What does a  Healthy Relationship look like?

 

Compassion                 Respect 

Support

     Individuality

                                     Equality

                   Acceptance

                                 Communication

    Honesty

               Trust

                        Mindfulness

      Justice

                                Happiness                    Openness

                      Responsibilty

 

Communication is a key part to building a healthy relationship. The first step is making sure you both want and expect the same things—being on the same page is very important. The following tips can help you create and maintain a healthy relationship:

 

  • Speak Up. In a healthy relationship, if something is bothering you, it’s best to talk about it instead of holding it in.

  • Respect Your Partner. Your partner’s wishes and feelings have value. Let your significant other know you are making an effort to keep their ideas in mind. Mutual respect is essential in maintaining healthy relationships.

  • Compromise. Disagreements are a natural part of healthy relationships, but it’s important that you find a way to compromise if you disagree on something. Try to solve conflicts in a fair and rational way.

  • Be Supportive. Offer reassurance and encouragement to your partner. Also, let your partner know when you need their support. Healthy relationships are about building each other up, not putting each other down.

  • Respect Each Other’s Privacy. Just because you’re in a relationship, doesn’t mean you have to share everything and constantly be together. Healthy relationships require space.

                                                                                       loveisrespect.org​​​

Dating Rights and Responsibilities

Dating Responsibilities

 

I have the responsibility:

  • To not threaten to harm myself or another

  • To encourage my girlfriend or boyfriend to pursue their dreams

  • To support my girlfriend or boyfriend emotionally

  • To communicate, not manipulate

  • To not humiliate or demean my girlfriend or boyfriend

  • To refuse to abuse - physically, emotionally or sexually

  • To take care of myself

  • To allow my boyfriend or girlfriend to maintain their individuality

  • To respect myself and my girlfriend or boyfriend

  • To be honest with each other

Dating Rights

 

I have the right:

  • To be treated with respect always

  • To my own body, thoughts, opinions, and property

  • To choose and keep my friends

  • To change my mind - at any time

  • To not be abused - physically, emotionally or sexually

  • To leave a relationship

  • To say no

  • To be treated as an equal

  • To disagree

  • To live without fear and confusion from my boyfriend's or girlfriend's anger

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