Differentiating Between Healthy & Unhealthy Relationships

What You Can Do To Prevent Teen Dating Violence?

Check with your child’s school to see what type of school-based program/curriculum they may be using that addresses teen dating violence. If they do not currently have such a program, encourage them to add it to their offering for middle and high school students.
Make sure your teen knows what is and is not an acceptable behavior. You want to also make sure they can make informed decisions and recognize potential dangerous situations.
Check out Read Darkness to Light’s Talking To Teen About Healthy Relationships blog about the four topics to discuss with your teen.
Help your teen develop a Safety Plan, a practical guide to help them lower their risk of being hurt by an abuser. It can also help them identify Safe Adults, friends and family they can reach out to when needed.
You can find a sample Safety Plan from Love Is Respect by clicking here.
You can help prevent teen dating violence by looking out for early warning signs that dating violence can or has occurred:
Your child or their partner is extremely jealous or possessive
You notice unexplained marks or bruises
Your child’s partner emails or texts excessively
You notice that your child is depressed or anxious
Your child stops participating in extracurricular activities or other interests
Your child stops spending time with other friends or family
Your child’s partner abuses other people or animals
Your child begins to dress differently