WHAT DO WE MEAN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DATING VIOLENCE?
Dating violence isn’t an argument every once in a while, or a bad mood after a bad day. It is a tough subject to talk about, and we want to offer you guidance on how to recognize it, how to talk about it and where to go for help.
Dating violence (or relationship abuse) is a pattern of violent behavior that someone uses against a girlfriend or boyfriend. Often seen as a "women's" issue, so many young men may not feel comfortable dealing with dating violence. We've tried to help change this by providing information for both young women and young men.
Abuse can cause injury or even death, but it doesn’t have to be physical. It can include verbal and emotional abuse—constant insults, isolation from friends and family, name calling, controlling what someone wears—and it can also include sexual abuse.
It can happen to anyone, at any age, no matter what race or religion they are, no matter what their level of education or economic background. Dating violence also occurs in same-sex relationship.
If you're in a violent dating relationship, or if you're worried about a friend, this website is a good place to start finding solutions. We hope it will raise awareness and help us all work together to create a society intolerant of abuse.
