Your best friend, Ryan, has been dating his classmate, Lina, for a year. Lina often threatens that she would break up with him and would also hit him whenever he did something to make her angry. You have seen this happen multiple times whenever you hang out with them, which makes Ryan feel embarrassed. He tries to shrug it off but you can tell he is upset with it.. You feel sorry for your friend and want to be able to help him.
What would you do?
Great! You are being a good friend. It is important to check on your friend and let them know it is safe for them to confide in you and seek support and advice if they need.
Oh no... By keeping silent you may be sending a signal that he deserves to be treated that way and it would discourage him from speaking up for himself or seeking help, even if he really needed to. If you suspect that a friend might be in an unhealthy relationship, it is always important to check in on them.