DATE ABUSE

Abusive relationships may feature physical violence, from slaps to rape and murder; verbal abuse, including persistent belittling; such emotional tactics as unpredictability and the silent treatment; and other harassment—threats or stalking. Addressing victims, Silverstein surveys the causes of these behaviors in family patterns and the abusers' need to compensate for perceived inadequacies and offers victims firm advice on extricating themselves—and avoiding more such relationships—by being clear and consistent about what's acceptable. Though she doesn't differentiate between occasional and habitual offensive behavior, and her assertion that ``Any forced sexual activity is rape, from kissing to intercourse'' is extreme, her simple (and somewhat repetitious) exposition will help teenagers clarify the subject, while her insistence that victims are not to blame should give them courage. A chapter detailing specifically what is likely to happen when a rape is reported—with police, at the emergency room, with the legal system—is especially useful. National and state-by-state list of rape prevention and treatment resources, and of victim assistance programs; index. (Nonfiction. 12+)