Relationship abuse, or dating and domestic violence/abuse, is characterized by behaviors used by a person to gain and maintain power and control over their partner. Because relationships exist on a spectrum, it can be hard to tell when a behavior crosses the line from healthy to unhealthy or even abusive. Warning signs, or red flags, can indicate that a relationship is going in the wrong direction.
Abuse can take many forms, but it is important to remember that each type of abuse is serious and no one deserves to experience abuse in any kind.
Dating & Domestic Violence Articles
BOOK REVIEW: Sparrow by Mary Cecilia Jackson
Summary Sparrow and Lucas are juniors in high school, best friends, and the lead ballerinas at a youth ballet conservatory. Sparrow experiences a near-death dating violence incident at the hand of a powerful upper-class peer around the same time that Lucas’ father abruptly passes away from cancer. Their friends, family, and community struggle to support these teens as they [...]
BOOK REVIEW: What Kind of Girl by Alyssa Sheinmel
Summary Alyssa Sheinmel Maya goes to the principal at her private school with a black eye and tells her principal that their track star and all-around Good Guy of campus hit her. The news spreads fast across campus as different perspectives are pulled to the readers’ attention. Masterfully touching on a variety of issues including addiction, [...]
Safety Planning for Youth: How Can I Be Safe in My Abusive Relationship?
A safety plan is a set of actions that can help lower your risk of being hurt by your partner in an abusive relationship. It includes information specific to you and your life that can increase your safety at school, home, and other places that you go daily. Why do I need a safety [...]
Good Boundaries Help Create Healthy Relationships
What are boundaries and why are they so important? Boundaries are lines that we draw that tell ourselves and others what we are okay and not okay with, in a relationship. Setting boundaries with your dating partner will help ensure that everyone is safe and encourage a healthy relationship. via GIPHY Boundaries [...]
Survivor Story – The Scars That Don’t Show
The following is the anonymous, personal story shared by a survivor of childhood emotional abuse and the response from one of HCWC’s Children’s Counselors. HCWC currently employs 8 professional counselors that specialize in working with children and teens across our programs. "Having a narcissistic parent can be very rough; especially when you don’t [...]
Prevent Sexual Violence – Start Talking to Youth About Media Literacy
Sexual Assault Awareness month is an opportunity to shine a light on the importance of preventing sexual violence. Conversations with youth about healthy relationships and consent are imperative to preventing sexual violence and need to happen well before they’re thinking about sex. Whether they find it on their own or are shown by a friend, [...]
