Helping Someone You Care About

If you think your friend or family member is a victim of violence:

• Learn about the myths and facts of abuse. Share this information with everyone!
• Talk to your friend privately. Stay calm and supportive.
• Contact a professional to help you create a Safety Plan.
• Don’t blame your friend for the violence or minimize what has happened.
• Don’t mediate between your friend and the abusive person. Confronting an abuser directly can be dangerous to you and your friend.
• Take care of yourself.
• Believe what your friend tells you. It will have taken a lot for her/him to talk to you and trust you.
• Help him/her understand that THE ABUSE IS NOT THEIR FAULT.
• Don’t focus on trying to work out the abuser’s reasons for the abuse.
• Try not to be impatient.

Questions you could ask:

• What can I do to help?
• How have you been coping?
• What are you afraid of if you stay or do nothing?
• What are you afraid of if you leave or take action?
• What can you do to make yourself safer?

For more information please visit:

Being Supportive

CARe

Coping with Relationship Grief

Crisis Connection Statistics

How Dangerous Is He?

(The) More You Know

(The) National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline

Natural Helpers

New Study on Teen Communication Preferences

Parent Aptitude Test

Possible Consequences of Choosing to Remain in a Relationship with an Abusive Man

S tages of Leaving an Abusive Man

Tactics of Abusive Men

Take 25

Take 25 Hand Out

What Are Your Options?