No one deserves to be abused in any way, and every type of abuse is serious.
People often think of physical violence when they hear “abuse,” but it can take other forms. Dating abuse is a pattern of behaviors used to gain or maintain power and control over a partner, and physical violence is just one example.
What does this power grab look like in a dating relationship? Abuse can include:
- Checking your phone, email or social media accounts without your permission.
- Extreme jealousy, isolating you from friends and family, questioning who you were with and what you talked about.
- Pressuring you or forcing you to have sex or taking photos that you wouldn’t want others to see.
Unfortunately, abusers will escalate their behaviors.
The website Love is Respect tells about personal safety and how to support friends who are in sketchy relationships. The website allows you to quickly exit the screen in case you don’t want someone to know you visited the site.
Even if you can’t or don’t yet want to leave your partner, your first priority should be your safety. Call Crisis Intervention and Advocacy at 800-400-4884 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233, or go to a hospital emergency department for help.
Ann Cochran is the health navigation coordinator in the Dallas County Public Health Department.
