Early Warning Signs of Teen Dating Violence

Are you going out with someone who.....

• is jealous and possessive toward you: won’t let you have friends, checks up on you, won’t accept breaking up.

• tries to control you by being very bossy, giving orders, making all the decisions.

• doesn’t take your opinions very seriously.

• is scary. Threatens you, uses or owns weapons. You worry about how they will react to things you say or do.

• is violent: has a history of fighting, loses temper quickly, brags about mistreating others.

• pressures you for sex, is forceful or scary around sex. Attempts to manipulate or guilt-trip you by saying “If you really loved me you would…” Gets too serious about the relationship too fast.

• abuses drugs or alcohol and pressures you to take them.

• blames you when they mistreat you. Says you provoked them, pressed their buttons, made them do it, lead them on.

• demands attention at inappropriate times such as during a class.

• has a history of bad relationships and blames the other person for all the problems.

• your friends and family have warned you about the person or told you they were worried for your safety.

If any of these things are true, then you may be in or headed for a violent relationship.

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