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| Dating Violence Prevention for Moms |
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 What? Dating violence prevention… for moms? Yes, moms need dating violence prevention education, too. After all, many women with children are single, struggling with relationships. Dating is very real in their lives, and regretfully, so is rape. Even some marriages are violent. Nearly one-third of American women report being abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their lives.
There are three different types of dating violence: physical violence, emotional or verbal violence, and sexual violence or date rape.
“Physical violence occurs when one person attempts to maintain control over another by pushing, hitting, slapping, or even tickling. Tickling can be considered violent when one person is using it to control another. Emotional violence includes isolation, lying, putdowns, and threats. When someone manipulates or controls another person by making them feel bad or unworthy, then it is called emotional violence. Sexual violence or rape occurs any time a person (male or female) is forced to have sex against his or her will. It is sexual violence any time someone is sexual with another person without their permission.”(1)
Most relationships begin with kindness and respect. But sometimes, over time, a partner begins to change. The following are warning signs that a boyfriend might become or already is violent. He: |
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- Tells you who you can and cannot see.
- Gets upset when you spend time with other friends or family.
- Puts you down in front of friends and others.
- Gets upset when you are late or break a date.
- Pressures you to have sex.
- Pressures you to use drugs or alcohol.
- Grabs, chokes, hits, or pushes you.
- Gets angry very easily and becomes violent.
- Wants to know the details of where you have been, who you have been with and what you have been doing
- Threatens to do something terrible if you break up.
- Destroys your property to get even.(2)
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| If you are the victim of dating violence, or you know someone who is, find a trustworthy counselor, pastor, or friend who can help you. Or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). |
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Kristi Rice lives in Indiana, where she is the Coordinator for the Teen MOPS group in North Vernon. Kristi is also the Program Coordinator for the RESPECT Grant.
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1 - What you don’t know can hurt you. Dating violence brochure. Young Women’s Resource Center. Amy J. Davis, 1997.
2 - The Facts About Dating Violence. Dating violence brochure. Jennings County Health Department and Jennings County Council on Domestic Violence.
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