February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

5 Signs Your Teen Might Be in a Violent Relationship

1. Bad Grades. School performance is often one of the first things to suffer when teens are in an abusive relationship. Rather than focus on grades, teens may be caught up in the drama of their own relationships. Dealing with abuse can make it difficult to pay attention to the tasks in front of them. If your teens’ grades suffer for no apparent reason, it may be a sign of an abusive relationship.
    
2. Extreme Mood Swings. Fluctuations in mood are a hallmark of the teenage years. But extreme and erratic mood swings can be a sign of something more serious. An abuser may have trouble controlling his or her temper. Victims may not know how to process what is happening to them. If your teen is screaming and yelling one moment and quiet and remote the next, it may be a sign of dating violence.
    
3. Isolation. Does one teen try to keep his or her partner away from others? Controlling behavior can be a sign of an abusive relationship. Teens in healthy relationships may want to spend more couple time, but this time shouldn’t be forced. Teens should achieve a balance between time spent alone and time spent with friends and family. An imbalance may signal dating violence.
    
4. Physical Injuries. Unexplained physical injuries are often a red flag in abusive relationships. An abuser may have scraped knuckles or signs of defensive wounds. A victim of abuse may try to hide a black eye or other bruises with a lot of makeup or by wearing baggy clothes. If a teen regularly has injuries but doesn’t have a good explanation about where they came from, it may be a sign of an abusive relationship.
    
5. Sexual Activity. Sex can be a normal part of a healthy teenage relationship. But every relationship is different and, many times, teens are not mature enough to have sex. Abusers may want to have sex to boast to their social peers. Victims may feel they have no choice but to acquiesce to sexual advances. If teens are having sex because they want control or fear the consequences of saying no, it may be a sign of an abusive relationship.