Getting Help
June 3rd, 2008
So you’re in an abusive relationship. You’re dating this guy who seemed really nice at first, and then wham! All of a sudden, the sweet and charming guy who swept you off your feet turned out to be a real creep. First, he started getting irritable for trivial reasons, and then he starts to shout at you and seems to enjoy shaming you in public. The verbal assault is tolerable, albeit on the surface, but then you feel that he’s going overboard because he’s already starting to abuse you physically—twisting your arm, shoving you around, even slapping your face. Don’t worry. There is a way out.
Experts who study behavioral patterns of teens who are involved in teen dating violence says that more often than not, the abused party allows the cycle of violence to happen because she doesn’t know where to seek help. So, the thing is, the problem lies not on the unwillingness to put an end to teen dating violence but rather, on the ignorance on how to go about the situation.
Ideally, the first option should be the parents. But then, come on, reality check! Of course it would be terribly hard to confide to one’s parents about the incidences of abuse. Admit it, there’s a thin, invisible wall that separates the older generation from the younger generation. No matter how we try to create a bridge that would connect the two, somehow, teens would still find it hard to open up to their parents. They’d feel queasy and uneasy; chances are, they would leave the important parts out of the real story, if they would even have the courage to open up in the first place.
Anyhow, if you’re a teen who’s involved with an abusive dating partner, better take a good look at these numbers and start dialing:
Women’s Coalition of St. Croix 773-9272
Crisis Help Line 1-800-233-4357
National Youth Crisis Line 1-800-448-4663
Child Help USA, National Hotline 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800 422-4453)
Covenant House 1-800-999-9999
So you’re in an abusive relationship. You’re dating this guy who seemed really nice at first, and then wham! All of a sudden, the sweet and charming guy who swept you off your feet turned out to be a real creep. First, he started getting irritable for trivial reasons, and then he starts to shout at you and seems to enjoy shaming you in public. The verbal assault is tolerable, albeit on the surface, but then you feel that he’s going overboard because he’s already starting to abuse you physically—twisting your arm, shoving you around, even slapping your face. Don’t worry. There is a way out.
Experts who study behavioral patterns of teens who are involved in teen dating violence says that more often than not, the abused party allows the cycle of violence to happen because she doesn’t know where to seek help. So, the thing is, the problem lies not on the unwillingness to put an end to teen dating violence but rather, on the ignorance on how to go about the situation.
Ideally, the first option should be the parents. But then, come on, reality check! Of course it would be terribly hard to confide to one’s parents about the incidences of abuse. Admit it, there’s a thin, invisible wall that separates the older generation from the younger generation. No matter how we try to create a bridge that would connect the two, somehow, teens would still find it hard to open up to their parents. They’d feel queasy and uneasy; chances are, they would leave the important parts out of the real story, if they would even have the courage to open up in the first place.
Anyhow, if you’re a teen who’s involved with an abusive dating partner, better take a good look at these numbers and start dialing:
Women’s Coalition of St. Croix 773-9272
Crisis Help Line 1-800-233-4357
National Youth Crisis Line 1-800-448-4663
Child Help USA, National Hotline 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800 422-4453)
Covenant House 1-800-999-9999






