My daughter is 17 and in an abusive relationship. She continues to return to this relationship and she won’t give him up to the police. I’ve tried tough love, protecting her and even talking to his grandparents that raised him. Nothing works.
- 40, Michigan
In trying to help your daughter, it’s a good idea to try to keep communication open, especially when you are trying to help her understand that she is not in a healthy relationship. No one deserves to be in an abusive relationship. Unfortunately, as much as you want to help your daughter end the relationship, only she can make that decision. It’s possible that she may not see that her relationship is unhealthy–some teens do not understand that abuse can also exist in teen relationships.
A good first step would be to share some information with your daughter. This includes what an abusive relationship looks like, the warning signs of abuse, and also a healthy relationships quiz on how to figure out if the relationship is healthy. Other important topics include the cycle of abuse and the different
If you're in immediate crisis, call 911 or the National Dating Abuse Helpline at 1.866.331.9474 or chat now: