Each February, Prevail recognizes Teen Dating Violence Prevention Month (TDVPM). According to the Centers for Disease Control, dating violence is a public health crisis that impacts one out of every nine adolescent females and one out of every 35 adolescent males. This equates to millions of teens in our country who are being abused by a dating partner. This fact makes me extremely uncomfortable, and I hope it does the same to you.
Parents and community members often ask me what can be done about teen dating violence. The answer is simple and complicated at the same time – we have to talk to our teens. To create a world without violence, we must teach youth about healthy and safe relationships. We can use movies, TV shows, and social media posts to start conversations. We need to hold teens accountable when the make a choice that removes another person’s choice or power. We must listen to teens when they tell us about what is happening in their lives because they are the experts in their own lives. We cannot expect teens to interact in ways we are not, so modeling healthy relationships is key.
On Prevail’s website you will find our 2020 TDVPM toolkit, full of activities ranging from five-minute discussion starters to full lesson plans, all focused on increasing skills teens need in order to have safe and healthy relationships. These activities can be used all year with any teen you interact with.
Overcoming teen dating violence, or any other power-based violence, can only be accomplished when a community unites together. It really does take a village to raise healthy, happy, and whole children. Thank you for being part of a village that is working toward eliminating teen dating violence.
Click here to download the TDVPM toolkit.
And, click here for more information about Prevail’s Primary Prevention programming, which is working to ensure everyone has access to safe, stable, nurturing environments and relationships.