Are you concerned that your teen might be in an abusive relationship? Is he acting differently, in ways that are concerning? Because your teen will probably not come out and say he is being abused, here are the signs that your teen might be in an abusive relationship.
Your teen:
- Has bruises or other physical injuries that are unusual, or don't match the explanation of how the injury happened.
- Has a change in personality -– particularly an outgoing and upbeat teen becomes quiet and withdrawn.
- Starts to have problems at school. Your teen begins to miss school, drop out of activities and grades begin to fall.
- Stops hanging out with his friends, and starts spending all free time with the romantic partner.
- Can't seem to make decisions for himself.
- Has a sudden change in the way he dresses or looks.
- Starts using drugs or alcohol.
- Gets pregnant. Forced sex can be a part of an abusive relationship.
- Starts showing signs of stress such as appetite changes, changes in sleep pattern, changes in mood –- particularly being down, depressed, or anxious.
- Changes the way he uses the telephone, internet, cell phone or other technology. Your teen may be harassed, abused or intimidated by the dating partner through any of these new technologies.
If you see any of these signs, open up a conversation with your teen about how the relationship is going. Listen, don't judge, and try to assess how your teen feels about the situation. If he needs help breaking it off, find a local domestic violence organization or other professional for advice. If there are clear signs of abuse and your teen is denying the situation, you can contact the organization or professional yourself and get advice on what to do next.
Teen dating abuse is a serious issue and must be taken seriously. If you suspect that your teen is being abused, get help as soon as possible. Your teen's life and well-being depends on it.
Sources:
Dating Violence. Alabama Coalition Against Dating Violence. March 15, 2009. http://www.acadv.org/dating.html
Teen Dating Violence Information Guide. New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence. March 15, 2009. http://www.opdv.state.ny.us/teen_dat_viol/tdvinfoguide.pdf
Teen Dating Violence: What Parents Need to Know. Massachusetts Medical Society. March 15, 2009. http://www.massmed.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&TEMPLATE=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=10994
