By Dominique DiVece

 One in three high school students have or will be involved in an abusive relationship.  A survey of 500 young women, ages 15 to 24, found that 60 percent were currently involved in an ongoing abusive relationship and all participants had experienced violence in a dating relationship.  One in three teens reports knowing a friend or peer who has been hit, punched, kicked, slapped or physically hurt by a partner, and 45 percent of girls know a friend or peer who has been pressured into having either intercourse or oral sex.  Nearly one in three sexually active adolescent girls in ninth to twelfth grade (31.5 percent) report ever experiencing physical or sexual violence from dating partners.

 harms you physically in any way, including slapping, pushing, grabbing, shaking, smacking, kicking, and punching  tries to control different aspects of your life, such as how you dress, who you hang out with, and what you say  frequently humiliates you or making you feel unworthy (for example, if a partner puts you down but tells you that he or she loves you)  coerces or threatens to harm you, or self-harm, if you leave the relationship

 twists the truth to make you feel you are to blame for your partner's actions  demands to know where you are at all times  constantly becomes jealous or angry when you want to spend time with your friends

 unexplained bruises, broken bones, sprains, or marks  excessive guilt or shame for no apparent reason  secrecy or withdrawal from friends and family  avoidance of school or social events with excuses that don't seem to make any sense

 Once you recognize that you are in an abusive relationship understand that you deserve better.  Tell a trusted adult if you were physically attacked  Try not to isolate yourself from the people that care about you even though you may be embarrassed this is the time you need them the most.  Don’t rely on just yourself to get out of the situation let your friends and family help you break away

 Stopping teen dating violence is a community effort many people are willing to get involved  Phonebook has teen abuse hotlines, crisis center and teen help lines. These people are professionally trained to listen, understand and help!