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Abusive Relationships. Recognizing unhealthy relationships and sexual con games. Some numbers……. At least 1 in 5 girls will experience an abusive relationship before they graduate from high school. Many professionals consider this a very conservative number……….
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Abusive Relationships Recognizing unhealthy relationships and sexual con games
Some numbers…….. • At least 1 in 5 girls will experience an abusive relationship before they graduate from high school. Many professionals consider this a very conservative number………. • 1 in 5 girls who have been in a serious relationship report being hit, slapped or pushed by a partner (less than 1 in 4 report the abuse to anyone) • 40% of girls between the ages of 14 & 17 report knowing someone who has been beaten in a relationship • 60% of girls and 40% of boys report having a personal experience with relational abuse, either as a target or an abuser
WHO ARE THE VICTIMS AND ABUSERS? • ANYONE • MALE OR FEMALE • PRE-TEEN TO ADULT • COLLEGE GRADUATE OR HIGH SCHOOL DROP OUT!
A Definition of Abuse • The University of Michigan Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center in Ann Arbor defines dating violence as “the intentional use of abusive tactics and physical force to maintain power andcontrol over an intimate partner.”
Take the quiz • Does something about the relationship you are in scare you? These descriptions also apply to a relationship you see a friend, student, acquaintance or son/daughter involved in…..
DOES YOUR BOYFRIEND/GIRLFRIEND: • Look at you or act in ways that scare you? • Act jealous or possessive? • Put you down or criticize you? • Try to control where you go, what you wear or what you do?
more questions • Text, call or IM you excessively? Expect an immediate response? • Blame you for the hurtful things they say and do? • Threaten to kill or hurt themselves if you leave them? • Try to stop you from talking to friends and family?
more questions • Try to force (physically or emotionally) you to have sex before you’re ready? • Do they hit, slap, push or kick you? Keep you from leaving a car, hallway or room when you want to? • If you answered even one question with a “yes” you may be in an abusive relationship.
Why are teens so vulnerable to dating violence? • Intense need for peer approval • Gender role expectations : male domination and female passivity. Also, girls believe they need to be relationship to achieve social status. • Lack of experience in dating and relationships – they may not understand what is and is not ok • Little contact with adult resources • Less access to societal resources
Emotional grooming – Step 1 – a false sense of trust Emotional groomers work very hard to create a false sense of trust by saying such things as “You’re all I think about” “You’re everything to me” “You are the only one who really understands me” “I will always be there for you – I will always protect you” “This is what real love is all about” “Just trust me………..”
Emotional grooming continued….. • In grooming relationships, the trust issue is rushed. In healthy relationships, trust develops over time. • Emotional groomers make it a point to tell the victim that others cannot be trusted • “We’ll never let anyone break us apart – other people can’t be trusted…nobody understands you like I do…” • “Trust me, I would never hurt you.”
Emotional grooming continued….. • If the target resists an act or comment that doesn’t feel right, the groomer will say something like ‘don’t you trust me? “If you loved me you would understand…” • These statements, or statements like them, are repeated over and over and over. The next step is to engage the victim in some kind of sexual activity or some other illegal or secret activity.
Step 2 - Secrecy • The emotional groomers persuade their targets to keep “their little secret” • Such statements as “No one can know about what we do, I’ll get in trouble and I’ll have to move” • “We won’t be able to see each other again if you tell anyone” • “Nobody understands how special our love is and how deeply we love each other. Why spoil it by trying to tell them how we feel?”
Step 2 - Secrecy The language of the con game may include such things as: “It’s Ok, don’t worry” “Just this once. Trust me.” “You know I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you” “This is normal and natural, this is the way it’s supposed to be” “If you love me, prove it” By this time, the web of control has been woven.
REMEMBER - Love is RESPECT • LOVE is not: • Calling your partner names or putting them down • Hitting, slapping, pushing or restraining • Making threats of any kind • Monitoring their email or text messages or texting them excessively • Forcing or guilting them into doing things • Trying to keep them away from family
HELPING RESOURCES • Voices of Hope crises line 475-7273 (formerly the Rape-Spouse Abuse Center) • Nebraska Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Coalitionwww.ndvsac.org • National Center for the Victims of Crime www.ncvc.org • LPD Victim-witness unit – 441-7181 • Girl’s and Boy’s Town National Hotline 1-800-448-3000 • National Teen Dating Abuse – 1-866-331-9474 www.loveisrespect.org