What is Teen Dating Violence?
Teen dating violence happens when one person intentionally causes physical or emotional harm to a partner in an intimate relationship.
Teen Dating Violence occurs when one person uses abuse in an intimate, dating relationship to establish and maintain power and control over their partner. This can include any form of sexual, physical, verbal/emotional, financial, and/or digital abuse.
It’s important to remember that all relationships exist on a spectrum from healthy to abusive with unhealthy somewhere in the middle. Everyone deserves a healthy relationship built on respect, trust, and equality.
Characteristics of healthy relationships are:
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Listening to one another and valuing each other's opinions in a non-judgmental manner. Respect involves attempting to understand and affirm the other's emotions.
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Safely and openly discussing feelings, thoughts, and ideas, even when there is a disagreement.
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Supporting each other's goals in life, and respecting each other's right to their own feelings, opinions, friends, activities, and interests.
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Communicating openly and truthfully, admitting mistakes or being wrong, and accepting responsibility for one's self.
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Making family/relationship decisions together, mutually agreeing on a distribution of work which is fair to both partners. If parents, the couple shares parental responsibilities and acts as positive non-violent role models for children.
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Valuing one's partner as an individual with their own hobbies and activities.
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Being willing to compromise, accepting change, and seeking mutually satisfying solutions to conflict.
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Talking and acting in a way that promotes both partners’ feelings of safety in the relationship. Both should feel comfortable and safe in expressing themselves and engaging in activities
If you, or someone you know, is in an unhealthy or abusive relationship call or text our 24-Hour Helpline: 216.391.4357 (HELP).
Or click here to chat with an advocate.