Safety Alert!

Internet use can be monitored and is impossible to completely clear. If you need to leave this website quickly, click the red “Safety Exit” button.

If you are in danger, please call Harbor House at 815-932-5800 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or TTY for the Deaf 1-800-787-3224.

Tips for Dating Safety*

Consider double-dating for the first few times you go out with a new person.

Know the exact plans for the evening. Make sure a parent or friend is aware of these plans and what time to expect you home.

Be aware of your decreased ability to react or make good judgments when you or others are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

If you leave a party with someone you do not know well, make sure you tell a friend that you are leaving and with whom. Ask your friend to call you to make sure you get home safely.

Be firm and straightforward. It’s okay and healthy to set boundaries in your relationships and then stick to them.

Trust your instincts. If you sense you are in danger, get help.

*Adapted from the Domestic Violence Advocacy Program of Family Resources, Inc.

For more information and statistics about teen dating violence, visit www.loveisrespect.org