Some of these decisions may involve dating. And while dating can be one of the best things about being a teenager, it brings a host of new feelings and experiences—not all of them good.

In fact, you or your friends may be dating someone who is overly possessive, controlling or critical. These can be warning signs of potential abuse. A survey conducted recently showed that 31% of teens ages 13-17 reported they or a friend experienced dating violence.

That's why we worked with teens around the country to write this handbook. Dating violence 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 is also often seen as a "women's" issue, so many young men may not feel comfortable dealing with it. We've tried to help change this by providing information for both young women and young men.

If you're in a violent dating relationship, or if you're worried about a friend, this handbook is a good place to start finding solutions. It tells the story of Angela and Joe, a fictional teenage couple in a violent relationship, and the friends who care about them. We hope it will raise awareness and help us all work together to create a society intolerant of abuse.