Please read this before using Before. This page explains what Before is, what it isn't, and your responsibilities when using it.
Last updated: April 2026
Before is an educational awareness tool designed to help you recognize behavioral patterns in relationships. It is not a clinical assessment, diagnostic instrument, or mental health evaluation of any kind.
The questions and scoring in Before are based on publicly available research on relationship red flags, coercive control, and intimate partner violence. They are intended to increase awareness — not to diagnose any person, condition, or disorder.
No assessment tool, no matter how carefully designed, can fully capture the complexity of a human relationship.
Before is not a substitute for professional counseling, therapy, psychological evaluation, legal advice, or emergency services.
If you are experiencing distress, confusion, or fear in your relationship, we strongly encourage you to speak with a licensed mental health professional, domestic violence advocate, or legal advisor. They can provide guidance that a self-assessment tool cannot.
Before does not provide therapy, counseling, crisis intervention, or any professional services of any kind.
Your score reflects the patterns present in the answers you provided at the time of assessment. A low score does not mean you are safe — it may simply mean that patterns haven't fully emerged yet, that you weren't able to answer certain questions, or that the relationship is in an earlier stage.
Research consistently shows that dangerous relationship dynamics can be invisible in the early stages of dating, particularly before 2–6 months of sustained contact. Before recommends taking the assessment after at least 2–6 months with the same person for the most meaningful results.
If something feels wrong, trust that feeling — regardless of any score. No tool replaces your own instincts and judgment.
Before and its creators, operators, and affiliates (collectively "Before") assume no liability for any decisions, actions, or outcomes that result from your use of this tool or your interpretation of its results.
This includes — but is not limited to — decisions about whether to continue or end a relationship, whether to seek help, whether to involve law enforcement, or any other personal, legal, or medical decision.
Your use of Before is entirely at your own discretion and risk. Before provides information only — it does not and cannot make decisions for you.
Before is a voluntary tool. By using it, you acknowledge that you are doing so of your own free will and that you take full responsibility for how you interpret and act on the results.
Before does not collect personally identifiable information. Assessment answers are stored anonymously and used only to improve the tool. You can take the assessment without creating an account, providing your name, or sharing your identity.
Before is designed to be most useful after 2–6 months of dating the same person. Early-stage relationships may not yet reveal the behavioral patterns this tool is designed to detect.
We recommend retaking the assessment periodically — not because your score defines your relationship, but because patterns often become clearer over time. A pattern you couldn't identify at 2 months may be unmistakable at 6.
Before is intended for adult women (18+) in romantic or dating relationships. It is not intended for use with family members, coworkers, or platonic relationships.
Nothing in Before — including its questions, results, descriptions, or any accompanying text — constitutes legal advice. Before is not a law firm and does not provide legal services.
If you need legal guidance related to a relationship, restraining orders, custody, or personal safety, please consult a licensed attorney or contact a domestic violence legal advocate in your area.
Before exists to protect real victims and survivors.
By submitting a report to the Before Registry, you affirm that:
Upon submission, every reporter agrees: “I solemnly swear that all statements written are true.”
Consequences of false reporting:
Before takes false reporting as seriously as the abuse it was built to fight. Every false report undermines real survivors. We do not take kindly to it, and we will act accordingly.
Before is a platform for users to share their experiences. Reports submitted to the Before Registry reflect the claims of individual submitters and have not been independently verified by Before.
Before does not create, author, or endorse user-submitted content. Before is not the originator of any registry report — each report is the expression of the individual who submitted it. Before does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any user-submitted content, and assumes no liability for such content.
In accordance with Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, Before, as a provider of an interactive computer service, is not treated as the publisher or speaker of information provided by another information content provider.
Reports may reflect subjective experiences and personal perspectives. Before encourages all users to exercise their own judgment and seek professional guidance when making safety decisions.
If you believe you have been incorrectly listed in the Before Registry, you may submit a dispute by contacting us directly.
Submit a dispute: Email herway@inbox.polsia.app with your full name, the nature of your dispute, and any supporting context you wish to provide.
Please note the following about the dispute process:
This process exists because we believe people deserve a fair opportunity to be heard. It does not imply that Before assumes responsibility for the accuracy of user-submitted content.
Before is an educational and awareness tool. Assessment results, registry entries, and all content on this platform are provided for informational purposes only. Nothing here constitutes professional advice — legal, medical, psychological, or otherwise — and should not replace consultation with a qualified professional.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Before and its operators disclaim all warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, reliability, or fitness of the platform for any particular purpose. Before shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of this platform or reliance on its content.
Use of the Before platform is at your own risk.
If you are in immediate danger, please contact emergency services immediately. The following resources are free, confidential, and available around the clock:
Emergency: Call 911 if you are in immediate physical danger.
National Domestic Violence Hotline
Call or text: 1-800-799-7233
Text START to 88788
Available 24/7, free, confidential, in 200+ languages.
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 (free, 24/7)