You should never stay in an abusive relationship

In high school, I knew a girl who had all the potential in the world. She was extremely intelligent and actually received her diploma at age 16. After graduation, her boyfriend followed her to college.

Months later, I ran into my former classmate and she informed me about problems she had been having with her boyfriend.

He would get drunk and pick fights with her.

Once, he even punched her. He would say disturbing and frightening things to her such as, “You look good in red.”

She informed me that when he said this he actually meant, “You’d look good in blood.”

No matter how much my friends and I tried to plead with her to end the relationship, she would not break up with him.

She gave her unhealthy relationship the vast majority of her time and energy.

Often, people make light of abusive relationships but the truth is they are not a joke.

The Journal of Trauma reported that 50 percent of women murdered in the U.S. are killed by either their husband or someone they know. National Crime Statistics report that 25 to 30 percent of adolescent relationships are abusive.

The Family Violence Prevention Fund reports that every nine seconds, a woman is physically abused. These findings are extremely alarming.

Many students across the U.S. watch television shows that belittle how harmful abusive relationships actually are. In reality, an abusive relationship will ruin your life if it persists.

While it does seem like the majority of abused students are female, male students are as well.

Abuse can occur in many forms.

Obviously, occasional verbal fighting with a significant other is normal, but if someone is battering you or mentally and emotionally draining you, it is time to seek help.

I know people who have been in mildly abusive relationships who did not want to leave them because they had invested so much trying to change the person who was hurting them.

These people want to see the good in others.

This is not a bad mindset, but there is a line that should not be crossed.

I do not believe the solution to an abusive relationship can be worked out. I also do not believe that the solution is counseling or anger management.
The solution is walking away. Leaving.

It is also incredibly important to let someone know what has happened to you and to talk to a counselor or therapist.

An individual who is hurting you more than making you happy is never worth a minute of your time.