Warning Signs

The best way educators and other adults can protect students from dating violence is by focusing on prevention―stopping violence before it begins. The existence of one (or several) warning signs does not necessarily mean that a relationship is violent, but it may signal that the relationship is unhealthy.

Some specific warning signs include:

• Since two students started hanging out with each other, one of them is having consistent school attendance problems.
  
• A previously good student has a noticeable downward change in their grades and you know they have been hanging out with someone in particular since their schoolwork began to suffer.
  
• A student suddenly requests changes in their school schedule.
  
• You notice a student suddenly no longer hangs out with the group of friends they generally spent time with and instead are hanging out with one particular person all the time.
  
• A student demonstrates changes in his/her behavior that are more passive or quiet than usual.
  
• A student seems suddenly isolated from the social group he/she used to be with.
  
• A student appears sad or withdrawn.
  
• There is a drastic shift from the way the student usually dressed since they have been hanging out so much with one particular person.
  
• You notice a student has constant bruising or other injuries.
  
• One teen seems to be controlling the other:
  
  • Physical: one person's arm is always firmly around the other person.
    
  • Social: one of the two people looks down or straight ahead―not at others.
    
  • Electronic: one person is constantly checking in, texting, IMing, calling, sending e-mails, etc.