Is My Teen at Risk for an Abusive Relationship?

February is Teen Dating Violence (DV) Awareness Month! Teen DV Month (sometimes called TDVAM) is a national effort to raise awareness about abuse in teen and 20-something relationships and promote programs that prevent it during the month of February.
Dating violence is more common than many people think. One in three teens in the U.S. will experience physical, sexual or emotional abuse by someone they are in a relationship with before they become adults. Help us spread awareness and stop dating abuse before it starts!
Who is at risk for dating violence?

• Factors that increase risk for harming a dating partner include:
• Belief that dating violence is acceptable
• Depression, anxiety, and other trauma symptoms
• Aggression towards peers and other aggressive behavior
• Substance use
• Early sexual activity and having multiple sexual partners
• Having a friend involved in dating violence
• Conflict with partner
• Witnessing or experiencing violence in the home 
  
  

How can we prevent dating violence
The ultimate goal is to stop dating violence before it starts. Strategies that promote healthy relationships are vital. During the preteen and teen years, young people are learning skills they need to form positive relationships with others. This is an ideal time to promote healthy relationships and prevent patterns of dating violence that can last into adulthood. Many prevention strategies are proven to prevent or reduce dating violence. Some effective school-based programs change norms, improve problem-solving, and address dating violence in addition to other youth risk behaviors, such as substance use and sexual risk behaviors.

Other programs prevent dating violence through changes to the school environment or training influential adults, like parents/caregivers and coaches, to work with youth to prevent dating violence. (source)

For more information about teen dating violence, please contact us at info@positiveteenhealth.org or 219-254-2678