How to Tell if You are in an Abusive Relationship
Sometimes an abusive relationship can sneak up on you. At first, your new boyfriend is very attentive and charming. He wants to be with you all the time and seems to be the answer to your dreams. He loves everything about you. And, you want to be with him too.
Then one day he tells you that your skirt is too short. He doesn’t like other guys looking at you. Or, he snaps angrily at you when you are talking. He apologizes immediately, but the comment really hurts your feelings. Suddenly, he doesn’t want to be with anybody else, just you. Every night.
An abusive relationship doesn’t necessarily mean that someone is hitting or hurting you physically. Actually, it is usually about control. Controlling your appearance, your time, everything in your life.
If you feel like you are in this type of relationship you need to get out! Talk to someone you trust: a parent, friend, relative, or even a school counselor or teacher. This may not be easy for you, but the earlier you do it the better. Abusers rarely change, and you will get hurt.
Contact us if you need a friend.