TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS AMONG CAMPUS STUDENTS.

 Relationship can provide the necessary emotional support to help a student cope with the pressure of school or work. However, balancing a committed, romantic relationships with academic and occupational demands, can often lead to a conflict of roles.

It is an inevitable and unspoken truth that most of university students will end up being in a relationship during their time at a university. According to a study by break the cycle, more than half( 57%) of university students who reports having been in a toxic dating relationship said it occurred in university/ college.

Two main reasons for toxic relationships in campus are : students are often reluctant to confront others about aggressive or inappropriate behavior towards their partner..... Another major reason is because their peers may fail to recognize the warning signs and report more subtle forms of abuse.

Since it is a possibility that many people in university will experience some form of unhealthy relationship, it is important to be aware of the signs. Also , according to the abuse and dating poll by Break the cycle, 43% of dating university women report experiencing some violent and abusive dating behaviors, including physical, sexual, verbal or controlling women i.e 22% report actual physical abuse , sexual abuse or threats of physical violence.

Some signs of an abusive or toxic relationships according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline are:                                                                                     - Tells you that you can never do anything right                                                                                 - Keeps you or discourages you from seeing friends or family members                                             -  Controls every penny spent in the household                                                                                       - prevents you from making your own decisions.                                                                                      - prevents you from working or attending school .                                                                        - intimidates you with guns, knives or other weapons .                                                                            - pressure you to have sex when you do not want to or do things sexually, you are not comfortable with.                                                                          - pressure you to use drugs or alcohol

If you or someone you know are experiencing any of these concerning signs, do not hesitate or wait to seek help. Nothing is more important than individual well being or safety, so make sure that warning signs do not go unacknowledged, and that university students are sticking together through the difficulty of navigating relationships while we are also struggling to figure out who we are.