Could My Teen Be In A Violent Dating Relationship?

1 in every 3 Teen Dating Relationships is Violent

Over 90% of the injuries in Dating Violence occur to the woman in the relationship

92% of teenage rape victims know their attackers

What Is Dating Violence?

Physical Abuse

pushing or shoving

slapping, hitting, kicking

hitting with an object

threats with weapons

forcing sexual relations

Verbal Abuse

name calling

threats

belittling

put-downs

Characteristics  of Abusers

Jealous or possessive

Controlling, bossy, gives orders, makes all decisions

Scary-uses threats to get you to do something

Violent-history of fighting, loses temper quickly, brags about mistreating others

Pressures sex, thinks of women as sex objects, gets too serious about relationship too fast

Abuses drugs or alcohol

Blames victim for mistreatment

History of bad relationships

Family and Friends are concerned about safety of partner in the relationship

Prevention

-Pay Your Own Way

Give your child money for their dating activities, and make sure they have emergency cash on them.

-Be Able to Leave

Know who your child will be traveling with, and arrange to be available to pick them up if they feel unsafe or uncomfortable with their date

-Assert Yourself

Encourage your child to be themselves in their dating relationships. If you notice a shift in your child around their significant other, this can be a warning sign that they do not have the freedom to express opinions around their partner

-Get to Know Their Boyfriend/Girlfriend

Any one who wants to date your child should be respectful of your questions and desires to get to know them. If they are resistant to this, this can be a red flag.

-Decrease Interaction Time

Encourage your child to continue doing activities that he/she enjoys and not to quit them to spend more time with their boyfriend/girlfriend. Activities outside of the relationship helps promote a healthy relationship.

-Keep Your Friends

Girls may stop spending time with their friends unless a boyfriend/girlfriend is busy. This is harmful in an abusive situation because they lose a network of people who be there as a support for them.

Resources

Berks Women In Crisis

610-372-9540 ENGLISH

610-372-7463-SPANISH

www.berkswomenincrisis.org

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