Placing a Spotlight on Teen Dating Violence Month

Written by:  PROVISION
     Every year in the month of February, people all over the country work to shed light on teen dating violence, so February has become known as Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. This time is when a spotlight is placed on educating folks about the importance of bringing an end to dating violence and pointing young adults, and their families in the right direction to get help.
     Violence between dating teens or young adults is commonplace, with 1 in 3 teens in the U.S. experiencing physical, sexual, or emotional abuse from their partners. The abuse often takes place face to face, but can also happen through social media or online. Teen dating violence may involve things such as stalking, physical violence, psychological abuse, and sexual violence.  Teasing and name-calling are often thought of as normal in a relationship, but they can also build up and lead to more serious acts of violence. Oftentimes, unhealthy relationships and behaviors go unreported because teens are afraid to say anything to their friends and families.
     Certain demographics play a role in the amount of risk that teens face. Topping off the list of abuse victims are female students who suffer higher rates than male students.  Students in the non-binary community or those who aren’t sure of their gender identity also experience higher rates of physical and sexual dating violence.
     Depression, anxiety, smoking, drinking, drug use, and suicidal thoughts can all be attributed to abusive teen relationships, and bad relationships can also lead to future problems in relationships. Fortunately, something can be done about it and we can all take part to prevent violence in the younger generations.
     Participate in teaching healthy relationship skills to our teens.  Be a mentor and create a safe space where young people can find guidance. In 2022, the Love is Respect Youth Council chose the theme “Talk About It,” to deal with Teen Dating Violence. As a continuation of that theme, “Be About It” was chosen for 2023. It’s vital for us to talk about teen dating violence, but we also need to “be about it.”  If you know someone who needs help with teen dating violence, hear them out and point them in the right direction to get them the help they need.  “Be About It” calls on us all to create a world free from relationship abuse.  For more information about Teen Dating Violence, you can also contact the Alliance.