What is dating violence? Dating violence is when one person purposely hurts or scares someone they are dating. Dating violence can happen:
- on a first date or in an established relationship
- to boys or girls
- in gay or straight relationships
- to people of all races, cultures, ages, incomes and education levels
Many teens believe that some behaviors, like name-calling or shoving, are part of “normal” relationships. They’re not. And if your partner continues to act in this way, his/her behavior will likely become more violent over time.
Dating violence includes:
- physical abuse: hitting, punching, biting, kicking, slapping, shoving, pulling hair, strangling, pinching
- emotional abuse: name-calling, threatening, screaming, embarrassing, insulting, intimidating, isolating, stalking
- sexual abuse: forcing sex or unwanted sexual contact; not letting you use birth control; using drugs or alcohol to take advantage of you sexually
- electronic abuse: using technology or social media to stalk, harass, embarrass, threaten or control you; demanding passwords; sexting; checking cell phones
If you think you may be a victim of dating violence, call our 24-hour hotline at 860.482.7133 to speak with a counselor who can help you.