Warning Signs of Abuse
Dating violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in casual or serious dating relationships in which one person chooses to control or attempt to control the relationship through force, coercion, intimidation, or fear. Dating abuse is a form of intimate partner violence (IPV).
Abuse is a Cycle
Abusive behavior can be physical, verbal, emotional, sexual, financial, spiritual, or technological. Sometimes it’s subtle, and sometimes it’s extreme. Without intervention, the behavior usually gets worse.
Dating abuse isn’t just an argument every once in a while or even a serious disagreement between two people. The behavior usually happens repeatedly, over time.
The relationship can be between two people who are dating casually, in a committed relationship, living together, with kids, without kids, married, or divorced. It can be between people of any age and any gender, and between people from any race, culture, nationality, religion, neighborhood, economic status, or educational level. Dating violence can affect anyone. It is important to understand that people commit violence because they choose to do so. Abusing someone is a choice.
In order to protect yourself, you should know the warning signs of abuse in a relationship
IPV isn’t just an argument every once in a while. IPV describes an ongoing pattern of abusive behavior when one person chooses to control the relationship through force, fear, pressure, or intimidation.
That romantic relationship can be between two people who are married, divorced, living together, dating, with kids, without kids. It can be between teenagers, young people, adults, or the elderly; a man and woman, two women, or two men; two people from any race, culture, nationality, religion, neighborhood, economic status, or educational level… IPV can affect anyone.
It is important to understand that people commit IPV because they choose to do so, not because they can’t stop themselves. Abusing someone is a choice.