Dating is fun, and it is often the first step to finding a long-term relationship if that’s your end goal. Sadly, it is not unusual to experience emotional abuse, criticism, excessive jealousy, controlling behavior, among others.

According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study, approximately 47.1 percent of females and 46.5 percent of males revealed that they had experienced some form of emotional aggressiveness in their relationship.

Even more unfortunate is that it may be hard to notice these warning signs because of the romance and excitement, especially in a new relationship.

But worry not, as this article highlights red flags you should look out for when dating.

1. Constant Lying

If your partner frequently lies to you, that is not a good sign. Whether it is little lies, like lying about where they are going, or major ones, such as failing to disclose the extent of their financial obligations, these red flags can have a toll on your relationship.

If your partner is lying to you repeatedly, it may be difficult to develop a firm foundation for your relationship, leading to an uncertain future.

2. Persistent Criticism

Unending criticism can hurt your self-esteem, even if it’s done in a passive-aggressive or subtle manner. And in most cases, this kind of emotional abuse may lead to a lack of trust between the dating duo.

Criticism can come in many different forms. Sometimes your partner may keep reminding you how lucky you are to be with them because you can never find someone better than them.

In other instances, they will consistently remind you how foolish you are every time you do something that doesn’t sit well with them.

 3. Unwillingness to Compromise

Unwillingness to compromise, even on the smallest of issues, is another possible red flag in relationships. If you are in a one-sided relationship with someone, you might want to reconsider your options. This is perhaps because you will continually give more than they do and, as a result, feel angry, wounded, misunderstood, and underappreciated.

4. A Tendency to Shy Away from Tough Matters

A spouse who lacks the behavioral or emotional skills required to deal with challenges will often avoid serious matters. This behavior is usually apparent when a partner walks away from disagreements without listening to you or snubs you for several days when things go hard.

But that should not be the case in a healthy relationship. Any relationship can go through rocky patches, so you want to ensure that your spouse will communicate well with you instead of running away when needed most.

3 Simple Checks You Should Run

1. Check If They Are a Convicted Sex Offender

Convicted sex offenders are often placed on the state sex offender registry for the public to identify them.

Therefore, before things get serious, check whether your partner has been convicted of any sex offense in the past.

For example, if you are in Alabama, you can check Alabama sexual offender registry to see if your partner has been convicted of a sex crime in the past.

2. Check Their Criminal Records

According to a report, 1 out of 5 Americans has a criminal record, so you might want to check if your partner has a past criminal record.

Besides helping you identify which crime your partner was convicted for, running a criminal background check can help you decide whether or not you want to continue dating them.

3. Check Their Social Media Profiles

The internet can provide you with so much information about virtually anything. A simple internet search of your partner’s name can reveal so much.

You will likely discover their social media pages, and anywhere they might have appeared on a news article. That way, you will understand their hobbies, interests, friends, groups and see posts they might have shared.