Support your child

Find ways to support your child dealing with dating abuse.

Being a parent of someone in an abusive dating relationship makes a difficult situation even harder. Knowing or even suspecting that your child is being harmed can be both frightening and frustrating.

As a parent, you’re a crucial part of helping them develop healthy relationships and providing the support necessary to build their confidence in order to leave the bad ones. You’re also probably afraid for their safety and accustomed to intervening right away when you see them get hurt.

Maintaining mutual trust depends on you demonstrating to your children that you’re trustworthy — that means respecting their decision-making even when you disagree with them. You can’t force them to trust you and you can’t live their lives, including decisions about their relationships.

Understanding how to support them lovingly and in non-judgmental ways will help you maintain the connection your children need to feel comfortable reaching out for help.

If you need guidance on how to start a conversation, consider contacting us to get support from an expert advocate. They’re also ready to simply listen if you need to express yourself about concerns over your child’s abusive relationship. If you’re looking for information on how to support a child who has witnessed abuse at home, check out our resources for safety planning with children.