Many teenagers experience different types of abuse, including physical, emotional, or verbal, while dating their partners. If someone close to you is undergoing this issue, help them seek teen relationship advice from an online support organization. Here are some ways to support a friend in an abusive relationship:
Recognize the Signs
Before you offer help to your friend in an abusive relationship, it’s beneficial to know the signs of abuse. Some partners may have controlling behavior, such as dictating who to spend time with and limiting them from being around family. If a teen is in an unhealthy relationship, their partners call or text them constantly to know their whereabouts. Your friend may justify their partner’s bad behavior by saying they didn’t mean to shout or make them feel inferior. Other signs include when your friend is no longer happy or confident, yet they had good self-esteem in the past.
Create a Time to Talk
When finding a time to talk to your friend, choose a suitable location like a park or your home where they feel more at ease due to the privacy. To start the conversation without making them feel judged, tell your friend you’ve noticed they aren’t okay lately. If they’re ready to talk, they can share what they’re experiencing but don’t pressure them to tell you everything. When sharing their relationship issues, your friend must know you are listening and won’t interrupt them or blame their partner.
Offer Emotional Support
If your friend is experiencing abuse in their relationship, offer them emotional support so that they don’t feel isolated. You can tell them they don’t have to figure out everything at once, and you can listen to them anytime. Since many victims blame themselves for their partner’s bad behavior, remind your peer that abuse isn’t okay. You can talk about the signs to help them realize that nothing justifies abuse and they aren’t to blame. Show them their struggles are worthy of attention and deserve to be attended to, but don’t force them to make any decisions. Remind them that they’re strong and deserve to be in a healthy relationship.
Talk to Support Organizations
Your friend may need teen relationship advice from professionals to help them process their feelings and heal. Some online organizations offer anonymous hotlines, online resources, and text services to reach the right specialists and talk in confidence. If your peer feels nervous about contacting these organizations, offer to be with them when they call or text the experts. Such companies have trained counselors who help teens know about the green and red flags in a relationship. They advise teenagers to call the authorities for help if they have any safety concerns.
Seek Teen Relationship Advice
Though teen relationship abuse is difficult to navigate, it’s easy to seek help online and talk to professionals. Support organizations provide tools and guidance to assist teenagers in deciding what’s best for their general well-being. To help a friend, contact a trusted organization today for more information.