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Believe it–it’s happeningNearly one in 10 high school students will experience physicalviolence from someone they’re dating. Even more teens will experienceverbal or emotional abuse during the relationship.Between 10 and 25% of girls betweenthe ages of 15 and 24 will be the victimsof rape or attempted rape. In more thanhalf of those cases, the attacker is someonethe girl goes out with.Girls are not the only ones who areabused physically or emotionally in relationships.Boys also experience abuse,especially psychological abuse. Boysrarely are hurt physically in relationships,but when it happens, it’s oftensevere. Boys also can be pressured orforced into unwanted sex, by girls or byother boys.Violence happens in same-sex relationships,too. When it does, gay and lesbianteenagers often don’t know where toturn for help. If they are not comfortabletelling people they’re gay, that makestheir situation even harder. In somecases their partner may threaten toout them even though he/she knows itcould be dangerous!Often a relationship doesn’t start outviolent, but the violence starts after thetwo people have known each other fora while. The one big exception is forcedsex (sometimes called date rape or acquaintancerape). Forced sex can sometimeshappen the first or second timetwo people go out, especially when oneperson has very little dating experienceand is afraid to say “no.”If you think something is wrong, it probably is. You may feel anxious,have trouble sleeping or experience a change in appetiteor weight. Your body may be telling you that something is notright —pay attention to these signs.love doesn’t have to hurt teens