1. He Constantly Checks In on You
If your sweetie's attentive and asks you about your life, that's fantastic. But if he constantly calls you and expects a full report on where you've been and who you've been with, then something more sinister's going on.
2. She Lies to You
Relationships can't survive unless you trust each other, and if your partner abuses that trust by lying to you, it's a relationship that isn't worth keeping. A couple of white lies are forgivable. Lying regularly, or lying about important stuff, is absolutely not.
3. He Won't Let You Talk to Other Guys
Don't stand for this form of relationship abuse. You're allowed to talk to anyone of any gender you want. If your sweetie is suspicious of something, he should have a mature conversation with you about it, but he's not allowed to control your behavior.
4. She Threatens to Hurt Herself
When someone tells you something like, "I'll kill myself if you break up with me," they're using fear and guilt to manipulate you. Any threat should be taken seriously, so speak to a parent or counselor about it. But you don't have to play along.
5. He Loses His Temper Quickly
Everyone gets mad sometimes, and that's okay. But if your sweetie snaps at you over the tiniest things and blames you for things that aren't your fault, then something's wrong (and it's not you).
6. She Embarrasses You in Public
No one who loves you (or even likes you a lot) should ever make you feel bad about yourself. Doing it in public - by calling you names or making fun of you when other people are watching - is especially cruel, and you don't have to stand for it.
7. He Forces You to Have Sex
Sex doesn't just mean intercourse. It can mean a whole range of sexual activity, including oral sex or even just touching. If your partner forces you to do anything physical that you don't want to do, get out of the relationship.
8. She Keeps You Away From Your Friends
Abusers are pretty smart. They know that if your friends found out the truth, they'd tell you to get out of the relationship lickety-split. By pushing your friends away, abusers are trying to protect themselves. Don't let them.
9. He Looks at Your Phone
No one - not even the love of your life - has the right to monitor your calls and texts. And you're allowed to be in contact with whomever you want (even your exes). If your sweetie disagrees, he's trying to control you, and that's a form of abuse.
10. She Does Anything That Scares You in Any Way
This could mean physical violence, the threat of violence, harsh words or dangerous behavior of any kind. Bottom line: if you're scared to be around someone - even someone you love - don't be around them any more. Break it off right away. If you want additional help, check out the links below.
