Myths and Facts

Myth #1:
If someone hits you, it’s probably because you provoked them.
Fact: No one provokes a violent reaction in anybody. People are responsible for their own reaction to different situations. Violence is an excuse used by some men and women to silence their partners.

Myth #2: It can’t happen to me.
Fact: More than 1 in 10 teens experience physical violence in their dating relationships.


Myth #3: If a person stays in an abusive relationship, it must not really be that bad.
Fact: False.  People stay in abusive relationships for a number of reasons; fear, money, self-esteem, wanting to change the other person, or thinking they might change.

Myth #4: She was angry and she can’t control her temper.
Fact: False.  If that were true, she’d be hitting everyone who ever made her mad, such as friends or pets. If she just hurts you, it isn’t her temper.

Myth #5: If a person goes through your personal belongings, cellphone calls, or emails, they want to be a better friend.
Fact: False. This is an invasion of your privacy and your property and not okay.

Myth #6: If your partner is constantly texting, im’ing, and/or calling you when you asked them to stop, is this considered stalking?
Fact: Yes. If you have asked someone to stop bothering you and they continue, this is a crime, and enforceable by police.

Myth #7: Parents will usually find out about an unhealthy teen relationship.
Fact: False. In fact, 54% of parents never discuss dating violence with their teenager.

Myth #8: Most teens are not involved with cyberbullying
Fact: False. Over half of all teenagers either write something bad about someone else, or had someone write something bad about them.

Myth #9: If someone pressures you to hook up with them because they want to get closer to you, they really like you.
Fact: False.  If they like you, they would not be pressuring you. 

Myth #10: A girl can abuse her boyfriend by putting him down in front of their friends.
Fact: True. Abuse can be physical, emotional, or verbal.

Myth #11: You can always tell who is being abused.
Fact: False.  Some people can go through life, in silence, and people would be shocked to find out.

Myth #12: If your partner wants you to spend all of your free time with them instead of your friends or family, it’s because they hopelessly love you.
Fact: Maybe. Your partner may really care about you and want to spend time with you. Be careful that they are not isolating you. Jealousy and possessiveness is the most common early warning sign of abuse.

Myth #13: Few teen relationships end in physical violence.
Fact: False.  About 30% of all female murder victims are killed by their partner.

Myth #14: There is more dating violence with opposite sex couples than with same sex couples.
Fact: False. The prevalence of domestic violence and dating violence is the same for homosexual couples at it is for heterosexual couples: approximately 25%.

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