October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behaviors committed by one intimate partner against the other. These behaviors are typically part of a pattern of power and control and can include physical violence, sexual violence, psychological violence, and emotional abuse.
Domestic violence affects millions of people, both women and men, of every race, religion, culture, and status.
One very important way to help prevent domestic violence is by starting young and teaching youth the importance of healthy relationships. LifeSmart Youth Health Educators focus on this topic in our 8th grade program, Communicating with And Respecting Each other™.
Trusted adults can help prevent teen dating violence by making sure the young people in their lives are able to point out the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships. Listed below are examples of each, courtesy of One Love Foundation:
Signs of Healthy Relationships
- Respect is shown between partners
- Relationship is moving at a comfortable pace
- Honesty is being given
- Trust is being shown
- Independence is had by both partners
Signs of Unhealthy Relationships
- One partner is guilting the other
- One partner is being possessive of the other
- Isolation from friends or family
- Violating a partner’s boundaries
- Manipulation
Additional Resources
For more information on the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships, or to learn about other ways to talk to teens about establishing healthy relationships, visit the links below: