Former West High Student Gives Relationship Advice

What's Healthy and What's Abuse?

Story by Karleigh Johnson

Ali Adkins is a 2016 graduate of West High.
She's now the reigning Miss Metro Kansas City.

     Last Friday, former West High student Alexandra Adkins visited West High to speak about healthy relationships. The presentation was held in the auditorium during Academy Time and was optional for students to attend.

     Adkins shared her experience of being in an abusive relationship, which started normal enough, but quickly escalated from a healthy relationship to an abusive one. She briefly explained the long and difficult process of escaping the relationship.

     Adkins also spoke about myths associated with relationships, many of which focused on control, jealousy, and privacy.

     "Phone passwords are private. Your partner has no right to go through your phone," Adkins said.

Learning the difference between a healthy relationship and
an abusive one can be tricky.  Adkins offered some tips to
tell the difference.

     Later in the presentation, Adkins shared common warning signs of abusive relationships, and the differences between healthy, unhealthy, and abusive type relationships. She and a volunteer acted out a scenario, showing actions for each individual type of relationship.

     After Adkins elaborated on the difference between emotional and physical abuse, she provided the audience with the following resources:

Online Resources

• www.loveisrespect.org
• www.janascampaign.org

Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center Hotline

• 316-263-3002

     Adkins encourages those who are suffering from any form of abuse in a relationship to seek help and use the resources mentioned above. After all, "Love is not abuse."

Adkins with a student volunteer acting out the three types of relationships: healthy, on the edge, and dangerous.