The information listed below is taken from the sources that are linked under the information.

Young people are still learning what makes a relationship healthy, unhealthy, or even abusive. As teens learn how to navigate relationships, parents and guardians play a crucial role in helping them to develop healthy relationships and providing the support necessary to build their confidence. It’s important that parents understand and respond to the signs of relationship health, concerns, and abuse:

Signs of Health

• Open and honest communication
• Mutual respect
• Trust
• Equality
• Ability to enjoy time away from each other
• Mutual decision-making
• Support of one another’s hobbies and interests
• Ability to be yourself
• Healthy boundaries
• Patience
• Consent
• Disagreements are confronted openly and without judgment
• Comfortable pace

Signs of Concern

• Not communicating
• Disrespect
• Lack of trust (Jealousy)
• Dishonesty
• One person attempting to control the other
• Pressure to do or say or act a certain way
• Constant emails, texts, or calls from partner
• One partner making all or most of the decisions
• “Walking on eggshells”
• Neglecting interests, responsibilities, and other relationships
• Extreme or high-intensity feelings

Signs of Abuse

• Harmful or threatening communication
• Extreme jealousy
• Unexplained injuries
• Mistreating each other
• Manipulation
• Accusations of cheating
• Controlling behavior
• Isolation of one partner from other relationships
• Looking through private messages without permission
• Physical violence, threats, or intimidation
• Unwanted sexual comments, touching, or behavior

Relationship Spectrum – Love Is Respect

Power and Control Wheel – Love Is Respect

What To Look For – Love Is Respect

Warning Signs of Abuse – National Domestic Violence Hotline

Warning Signs of Abuse – New Beginnings

10 Signs – One Love

The information listed below is taken from the sources that are linked under the information.

Unhealthy, abusive, or violent relationships can have short-term and long-term negative effects on a developing teen. Youth who are victims of teen dating violence are more likely to:

1. Experience depression and anxiety symptoms
2. Engage in unhealthy behaviors, like substance use
3. Exhibit antisocial behaviors, like lying, theft, bullying, or hitting
4. Experience future relationship problems, including sexual violence
5. Think about suicide

To learn more about signs of depression or anxiety, visit the Mental Health Resources page.

To learn more about adolescent substance use, visit the Prevention and Intervention Program page.

To learn more about signs of bullying, visit the Bullying and Harassment Resources page.

To learn more about signs of suicide risk, visit the Suicide Ideation and Self-Harm Resources page.

To learn more about the effects of unhealthy relationships on teens, view the links below:

Dating Matters – CDC

Long-Term Adverse Outcomes Associated with Teen Dating Violence: A Systematic Review – American Academy of Pediatrics

The information listed below is taken from the sources that are linked under the information.

If you suspect your child is experiencing relationship abuse, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or text “Start” to 88788. If you suspect your child is in an unhealthy relationship, there are ways you can support:

1. Listen and accept what they’re saying. Be supportive and non-accusatory in conversations about their relationships, even when you don’t understand or agree with their decisions. Believe what your child says, even if it’s hard to hear. Being supportive and non-judgmental will encourage your child to continue sharing.
2. Show concern. Let your child know that you’re concerned for their safety by centering their experience in your conversation. Remind them that their first responsibility is their own health and safety, that they deserve to be treated with respect, and that abuse is not their fault.
3. Focus on behaviors. Remember that your child may still have feelings for the person who’s harming them. Speaking badly about their partner could discourage your child from seeking your help in the future. Discuss the abusive behaviors you observe, not your feelings about the people involved. Discuss what healthy relationships look like and identify relationships in your family that exemplify these qualities.
4. Allow them to make decisions. Leaving an unhealthy or abusive relationship is difficult and may even be dangerous. Remember that abuse is about power and control; making decisions for them can only add to the disempowerment they’re already experiencing from their partner. Resist the urge to give ultimatums or punish your child. If you force the decision, they may feel further isolated.
5. Use caution with social media. Talk to your child about posting their location or activities live and avoid doing so yourself. A partner who is abusing them may be able to use social media to find or manipulate them.
6. Decide on next steps together. Ask your child what next steps they’d like to take and help them find support to do so, including additional support if they’re too uncomfortable discussing the situation with you. Remember that leaving an abusive relationship is the most dangerous period of time for those affected, and work with your child to create a safety plan if they need one. For more information about creating a safety plan, visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline’s Plan For Safety page.

For more information about supporting a child with dating or relationship concerns, view the following links:

How to Help Your Child – Love Is Respect

Talking to Teens About Relationship Abuse – National Domestic Violence Hotline

Talking To Youth – New Beginnings

The information listed below is taken from the sources that are linked under the information.

You can proactively support your child’s healthy relationships. Here are some of the most important steps you can take to prevent dating and relationship concerns or abuse:

1. Talk about boundaries. Boundaries are important to help your teen feel comfortable expressing their wants, goals, fears, and limits. You can help your child think about their emotional, physical, and digital boundaries. An example of a boundary could be, “I’m comfortable with following and tagging each other on social media, but not with sharing passwords.” Help your child establish their boundaries and guide them in communicating their boundaries to their partner.
2. Talk about consent. Consent can be applied to all relationship decision-making. Consent refers to ongoing mutual agreement between partners about what they want to experience. Talk to your teen about how it’s important for both partners in a relationship to feel comfortable with what’s happening, every time it happens. Additionally, talk to your teen about how consent cannot be given while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or when someone is feeling pressured or afraid to say no.
3. Talk about dating. Talk about the elements of healthy relationships with your teen before they start dating. This can help them identify the healthy behaviors they should look for in a partner and how to recognize unhealthy behavior. Ask questions like, “What would you do if a partner asked you to quit something you love, like basketball?” and use the questions to spark a discussion about supportive and healthy behaviors.

For more information about proactively supporting your teen’s relationships, view the links below:

How to Set Boundaries – Love Is Respect

Proactive Support – Love Is Respect

Understand Consent – Love Is Respect

Talk About Abuse – National Domestic Violence Hotline