Abuse can be physical, emotional or sexual. Even if a partner never strikes you, name-calling and controlling behavior can damage as severely as broken bones. According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, each year intimate partners commit 2.9 million episodes of physical violence against men and 4.8 million episodes of violence against women. Recognizing the warning signs that someone might be an abuser could help you avoid a dangerous and even life-threatening situation.
Control
Abuse often centers on power, according to the University of Georgia's Office of Violence Prevention. Someone who wants to make all the decisions for the relationship, from where you go for dinner to the movies you see, has the potential to take this even further. If your boyfriend or girlfriend starts to dictate what you wear and who you see, that's a sign he or she is too controlling. Such behavior could escalate to abuse.
Violence
A violent temper can indicate a potential abuser, even if the violence isn't aimed at you. Become wary of an adult who can't control his temper. Brigham Young University lists several violent behaviors to be wary of, such as destroying property, reckless driving to scare you or abandoning you in an unfamiliar place. Abusers may try to dismiss such things as jokes, or accuse you of being too sensitive.
Mood Swings
Abusers can often act unpredictably---from sweet and kind one minute, to surly and critical the next. The University of Georgia's Office of Violence Prevention cautions that if you feel like you have to walk on eggs around someone because you can never know how they will react, you may be involved with a potential abuser.
Jealousy
Jealousy can prove a normal part of any relationship, but when your partner always becomes suspicious of even innocent acts, such as talking with an old friend or smiling at the waiter in a restaurant, that's a warning sign of an abuser, according to Brigham Young University. If your boyfriend calls multiple times a day to check up on you or questions you about your activities every time you go out, or if your girlfriend always becomes suspicious of other women around you, this could escalate into abuse.
Separation
If your partner tries to separate you from your family or friends, this could set the stage for abuse. Maybe your girlfriend doesn't like your friends or your boyfriend discourages you seeing your family. An abuser might intercept phone calls or messages from family or friends or foster disagreements to put distance between you and everyone around you but him, according to anti-abuse material distributed by Lane Community College.
Previous Abuse
If your date's previous partners complain about abuse, that's a red light that you should worry, according to the University of Georgia's Office for Violence Prevention. Become especially cautious if your partner has a history of violence. Your boyfriend or girlfriend might try to make excuses for previous behavior, but weigh the evidence against their words.
