What is Teen Dating Violence?
Teen dating violence is a pattern of controlling behaviors by one teenager over another teenager with whom they are in a dating relationship.
The violence can happen over time and one may not even realize the behavior is abusive.
Behavior can include:
- Emotional abuse – Embarrassing the person in front of others, calling a person names
- Physical abuse – Physically hurting someone, preventing a person from leaving a location
- Sexual abuse – Forcing someone to have sex, not allowing someone to use birth control
- Limiting independence – Telling someone what to do, giving a person rules to follow
- Isolation – Not allowing someone to see their friends
- Threats – To leave someone or hurt them
- Intimidation – Making a person afraid with a look
- Harassment – Texting someone frequently, spying
- Minimization, denial & blame- Telling a person that their fears are all in their head