SPOKANE, Wash. — Friday may be all about love and relationships for many, an alarming number of teens are caught up in unhealthy and abusive relationships.
February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month and several organizations in Spokane want people to know the signs of an abusive relationship as well as what parents and friends can do if they notice someone who is in one.
“A lot of times we don’t know what we want in a relationship when we’re teenagers,” said Kami LaMoreaux, a youth violence prevention coordinator.
LaMoreaux says there are warning signs to look out for, even in these young relationships.
“Digital abuse is a big problem. So many of today’s teenagers are on social media and they use social media as a social connection. So an abusive partner can use that against them in a lot of ways,” she said.
LaMoreaux warns that a relationship getting intense really fast, isolation from friends and family and online harassment are signs of an unhealthy relationship.
“The secrecy that a teenager has to have sometimes so that their parent won’t take the phone or won’t disallow them from hanging out with their partner,” LaMoreaux adds.
That secrecy is why LaMoreaux says you have to be careful about how you approach a conversation with your friend or child who may be in an abusive relationship.
Rather than saying “I think you are in an abusive relationship,” it is better to say “I noticed you have been hanging out with your friends less.”
“When we say that we’re noticing these behaviors, the person might get defensive and say ‘Oh, well, most relationships are like that,'” LaMoreaux said. “But it’s planted the seed. Now maybe they’re going to think about it a little bit differently.”
LaMoreaux also says that if you are in an abusive relationship and need help, turn to a trusted adult or friend who can help support you in your steps toward leaving.
You can find more resources and information on domestic violence below:
Intimate Partner Domestic Violence – YWCA SpokaneCreate a Safety Plan in an Abusive Relationship – Love is RespectGet Help – End the Violence Spokane
COPYRIGHT 2025 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
