Abuse When Brian and Sarah began dating, her friends were envious.

Brian was smart, sensitive, funny, athletic, and good-looking. For the first couple of months, Sarah was happy. She started to miss her friends and family, because she was spending more time with Brian and less time with everyone else in her life. That seemed easier than dealing with Brian's endless questions. He worried about what she was doing at every moment of the day. Sarah's friends were concerned about her. She lost interest in the things she enjoyed, like swimming meetings and going to the mall. She became secretive and moody. When her friends asked if she was having problems with Brian, she told them nothing was wrong. Healthy relationships involve respect, trust, and consideration for the other person. People in these relationships sometimes mistake the abuse for intense feelings of caring or concern. It can even seem flattering. Think of a friend whose boyfriend or girlfriend is jealous: maybe it seems like your friend's partner really cares. But actually, excessive jealousy and controlling someone's behavior is not the signs of affection at all. In a Relationship there has to be respect and trust; it doesn't mean constantly worrying about the possible end of the relationship. If you feel nervous or insecure about your relationship, it's important to talk it through with your boyfriend or girlfriend, instead of controlling the other persons behavior

Fact: Sadly, some relationships can turn bad. In fact, 1 in 11 high school students report being physically hurt by a date.

Resources: The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network http://www.rainn.org Call: (800)-656-HOPE

National Domestic Violence/Abuse Hotline http://www.ndvh.org Call: (800)-799-SAFE

American Psychological Association (APA) http://www.apa.org