What Might Dating Abuse Look Like?

In unhealthy relationships, partners who are being abused may:

• Stop participating in things they used to enjoy
• Worry about making their partners angry
• Withdraw and become isolated
• Have unexplained injuries
• Lose a lot of weight
• Start to do poorly in school

In unhealthy relationships, abusive partners may:

• Insult, belittle or humiliate their partners in public
• Tell their partners how to dress
• Require their partners to constantly check in
• Keep their partners from participating in hobbies or other activities
• Coerce or force their partners to be with them all the time
• Coerce or force their partners into sexual activity
• Physically harm their partners

Remember, dating abuse is a pattern of coercive behaviors designed to establish control over a dating partner. If you see a sign of abuse in one of your friends' relationships, it DOES NOT mean it is an abusive relationship--but it could be headed in that direction. Click here for a list of resources.