Although many people think about Valentine’s Day when they think about February, February is also Teen Dating Violence Awareness month. We at SEL4CT wanted to bring some attention to this important topic as we want all our readers and youth to have safe and healthy relationships. According to the CDC about 1 in 12 high school students experience physical violence in their romantic relationships. However, many times those in an abusive relationship do not always discuss it with their friends or family due to shame and fear. Sadly, according to Very Well Family, women between the ages of 16 to 24 are at the highest risk to experience intimate partner violence.
With this information in mind we want to remind you to have an open discussion with the young people in your life about the prevalence of teen dating violence. This discussion can help show care to someone facing this dangerous issue and might encourage them to reach out for help. This is also a great time to discuss what a healthy relationship looks like.
If you are unsure how to have these discussions please take a look at the following websites to find resources for parents, students, and educators:
- Teen Dating Violence Prevention Programs by Child Welfare Information Gateway
- Teen Dating Violence Prevention Resources for 2022 by NSVRC
- Dating Violence Prevention by Youth.gov
We hope this information helps you have an open conversation with the young people in your life about healthy and unhealthy relationships.
