Statistics show that one in three people under the age of 19  has experienced violence in dating. That means that one partner has tried to have power and control over the other through some kind of inappropriate behavior, whether verbal, emotional, or physical. Though this experience crosses all racial, economic and social lines, unfortunately, most victims are young women, who are more likely to be seriously injured. (Bureau of Justice Special Report: Intimate Partner Violence, May 2001)

Tips

• Before going on a date, know the plans for the evening and let a friend or someone in your family know where you're going to be and what time you expect to be home.
• Go to a public place the first few times you go out with a new person.
• Let your date know that other people know where you'll be and will be waiting for your call when you get home.
• Don’t drink or do drugs around people you don’t know well. Remember that your reaction time to protect yourself will be really cut down by the substances you use.
• Watch who pours your drink and keep it with you. If there's a chance someone might have slipped something into it, just throw it out and get another.
• When you leave a party, tell someone else you’re leaving and who you're leaving with. Agree to make phone contact with that person when you get home.
• Speak up when you need to. Don't be afraid to say "No." Be direct and don't back down on important matters with the person you’re dating.
• Trust your intuition. If any person or any situation makes you feel uneasy, keep calm and look for a way to remove yourself as soon as you can. 
  
  

Dating Bill of Rights*

• I have the right to trust myself above all others.
• I have the right to respect.
• I have the right to refuse to date anyone.
• I have the right to refuse to date anyone.
• I have the right to disagree with my date.
• I have the right to be safe on a date.
• I have the right to be respected as a person.
• I have the right to use my own transportation on a date.
• I have the right to say "NO."
• I have the right to get angry.
• I have the right to know who I am dating.
• I have the right to leave any dating situation.
• I have the right to control my level of intimacy with any other person.
  

*Based on the book: Warning: Dating May Be Hazardous to Your Health, by Charlotte McShane, 1989

The services of licensed counselors and experienced staff are free to Dallas County residents.