Dating Violence

Does your relationship have what it takes to pass the test?  

Does your partner...
Isolate you from people you care about most or from friends you had before you started dating?
Frequently embarrass or make fun of you in front of your friends? family? teachers?
Use intimidation to make you do what he/she wants?
Make you feel there is "NO WAY OUT" of the relationship?
Pressure you for sex?
Tell you that you are nothing without him or her and the relationship?
Make you feel that you can not make decisions for yourself?
Force you to perform sexual acts that you are not comfortable doing?
Prevent you from spending time with your friends and doing things you like to do?
Uses alcohol or drugs as an excuse for saying mean and hurtful  things or abusing you?
Gets angry often and you don't understand why?
Check on you all the time to be sure you are where you said you would be?
Blame you for what he/she has done and make you feel like everything that doesn't go right is your fault?
Attempt to make you feel guilty by saying things like "if you loved me you would," or "If you don't, you'll be sorry." ?
Believe his/her roll to be powerful and in control ? Believe your role to be passive and do as you are told?

DO YOU...
Apologize and make excuses for your partners behavior?
Worry about how your partner will act?
Feel forced to do everything your partner wants and nothing you want ant?
Try not to make your partner angry?
Believe that if you change something about you, the relationship will improve?
Feel like nothing you do is right and you will never meet your partners expectations?
Keep dating your partner because you're afraid of what he/she might do if you were to stop?

IF you answered yes to one or more of these statements, you are being abused.  Having only one or two of these happening in a relationship can be red flags for more abuseive behavior in the future.  People with these characteristics don't change their ways without professional help.