Young Adults and Dating Violence

Abusive relationships have good times and bad times. Part of what makes dating violence so confusing and painful is that there is love mixed with the abuse. This can make it hard to tell if you are really being abused. Here are some good questions to ask yourself.

Does your boyfriend or girlfriend:

Act like Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde, with such sudden and extreme moods he seems like two different people?
Make fun of you, put you down, or embarrass you in front of other people?
Have a history of bad relationships or past violence, always blame his/her problems on other people, or blame you for "making" him/her treat you badly?
Try to get you drunk, high or messed up or try to get you alone when you don't want to be?
Try to control you - by being bossy, not taking your opinion seriously, making all of the decisions about who you see, what your wear, what you do, etc?
Talk negatively about people in sexual ways or talk about sex like it's a game or a contest?

Do you:

Feel less confident about yourself when you're with him/her?
Have been told by people you trust that they're worried about your safety?
Feel scared or worried about doing or saying the wrong thing?
Find yourself changing your behavior out of fear or to avoid a fight?

Unfortunately, without help, the violence will only get worse. If you think you might be in an abusive relationship, please call us.