If you're concerned that a friend or loved one is in an abusive situation, the best thing to do is trust your gut. You probably wouldn't be worried if there wasn't a good reason, right?

Here are some signs to look for to help you decide if your friend is in trouble:

• Has your friend's appearance changed significantly (i.e. major changes in weight)? Has her schoolwork been suffering? These could be signs of depression, which often indicates abuse.
• Does your friend have a history of feeling anxious, distrustful and unsafe?
• Is your friend giving up things that used to be important to her? Is she spending much less time with friends and becoming increasingly more isolated? Does she cancel plans at the last minute and give you explanations that make no sense?
• Is your friend's boyfriend extremely jealous and possessive? Does he call, page or e-mail her constantly? Does he try to control what she wears, where she goes and who she hangs out with?
• Does your friend's boyfriend call her demeaning names and put her down in front of other people?
• Has your friend stopped expressing her own opinions? Does she "walk around on eggshells" to avoid upsetting her boyfriend?
• Have you ever seen your friend's boyfriend threaten her? Does he explode when he loses his temper? Have you ever seen him break things or hit people when he's angry?

Protect Yourself

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