24 Feb I Wish I Had Known to Listen to My Gut
This February, in recognition of Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, we launched the I Wish I Had Known awareness and prevention campaign. We invited adults to reflect on what they wish they had learned about relationships when they were younger and how that knowledge might have altered their lives.
Rebecca’s story is a powerful testament to strength, survival, and the often-misunderstood dynamics of dating violence. Like Marilyn’s essay, her experience challenges the dangerous myth that abuse is easy to recognize or limited to certain kinds of people. Harm can be caused by individuals who are admired, trusted, and deeply embedded in their communities, reminding us why we must look beyond reputation and believe survivors.
She also names one of the most disorienting tactics in abusive relationships: love bombing. What begins as a whirlwind of attention, grand gestures, and constant affection can feel like the romance we are taught to dream about. The partner appears perfect, devoted, and attentive. But over time, that intensity shifts. What once felt like passion becomes pressure, then control, and eventually abuse. By the time the change is noticeable, the emotional ties can be incredibly hard to untangle.
Rebecca’s story reinforces a core message of Take Back the Halls: young people should trust their guts. We help teens recognize the difference between healthy love and behaviors that feel overwhelming, possessive, or manipulative, even when they are disguised as romance. Real love is not about jealousy and control. It is about respect, trust, and mutual growth.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.