Dating Safety for Teens
There’s nothing that compares to the feeling that you get when you’re young and in love. When you meet someone in high school who’s amazing and into you, it’s hard not to want to make them happy and spend every possible minute with them. But dating as a teen can be a mixed bag, and you can easily find yourself overwhelmed. At this stage of your life, strong feelings of attraction are new, and your first love can be the most intense love, for good or for bad. Because of this intensity, a relationship with the wrong person can lead to problems that you may not know how to handle. It’s important that you’re able to recognize an unhealthy relationship and know what to do about it should you find yourself in one.
An unhealthy relationship is one that involves physical, sexual, verbal, or emotional abuse. Teen dating violence can happen to you regardless of your gender or whether you’re in a heterosexual or LGBTQ relationship. Unhealthy behaviors can happen anywhere, including in school, after school, in person, on the phone, or online. While there’s no guarantee that a seemingly good relationship won’t turn bad, there are certain things that you can do to improve your chances of avoiding it.
It’s flattering when someone you think is cute shows interest and wants to date you. While you might want to jump at the opportunity, it’s a smart and safe move to get to know them by becoming friends first. This allows you to learn about their temperament and potentially spot red flags before you start dating. You should also use caution when talking to or meeting people online. While most of the time, the people you’re interested in dating will be at school or school-related events, there’s a chance that you’ll meet someone through social media. Keep in mind that people can easily hide who they are, their age, and their intentions online. Talk to your parents before meeting someone in person, and never go to meet them alone. Trust your instincts if something seems off, and take your time getting to know them.
It’s also important to avoid dating people with substance abuse problems. Alcohol and drugs can and often do play a role in teen dating violence. A person with a substance abuse problem may act more aggressively and become paranoid or angry when under the influence. You, too, should avoid using these substances, which are not only illegal for high school students but also impair your judgment and may cause you to stay with someone who is unhealthy for you.
Teen dating violence is very much the same as domestic violence except that you don’t live together. Therefore, the signs that someone is abusive are about the same. If the person you’re dating seemed sweet and wonderful at first but does things such as isolate you from friends, stalk you in person or online, have outbursts of anger, or act threatening, jealous, or controlling, then there’s likely a cause for concern. An abusive person may also think it is fun to be cruel to small children or animals, and they may blame you when things do not go right for them.
A violent and abusive relationship can cause depression, anxiety, and even PTSD. Depression can cause other problems with how you interact with others and can even cause some people to have thoughts of suicide. But the most important thing that you should know if you find yourself in an abusive relationship is that you’re not alone. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that of high school students, roughly 10 percent reported being victims of physical violence when dating and 11 percent were victims of sexual violence. If your boyfriend or girlfriend is causing you harm, you should talk to your parents or guardian, a teacher, or even a domestic violence hotline for assistance.