02/27/2026
Teen dating violence doesn’t always look dramatic.
Sometimes it looks like control disguised as love.
February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, and it’s important to remember that abuse in teen relationships is often emotional or digital long before it is physical.
🚩 Red flags can look like:
-Constant texting and expecting immediate replies — getting angry if they don’t respond fast enough.
-Tracking location or demanding to know where they are at all times.
Isolating them from friends or making them choose between the relationship and their support system.
-Jealousy framed as protection: “I just don’t trust other people around you.”
-Subtle put-downs disguised as jokes that chip away at confidence.
-Blaming them for the partner’s emotions: “You made me act this way.”
-Threatening self-harm or breakups to control behavior.
-Pressuring for passwords, access to phones, or private photos.
-Sharing private messages or images without consentMaking them feel afraid to disagree or say no.
For teens, these behaviors can feel confusing.
Intense attention can be mistaken for care. Possessiveness can be mistaken for passion. Control can be mistaken for commitment.
💜 Healthy teen relationships include:
-Mutual respect
-Encouragement of friendships.
-Accountability without blame.
-Freedom to have separate interests.
-The ability to set boundaries without fear.
For parents: shame shuts teens down. Criticizing their partner often pushes them closer to that relationship. Staying curious instead of accusatory keeps the door open. Validate their feelings first. Focus on safety, not control.
If something feels off — trust that instinct. It probably is.
If your teen needs support navigating a relationship, our team at The Therapy Collective of Michigan is here to help.
For additional education and support resources, we recommend following 💜
