February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
Teen Dating Violence means assaultive, threatening or controlling behavior, including physical, psychological, or sexual abuse; harassment; or stalking of any person ages 12 to 18 in the context of a past or present romantic or consensual relationship. No one deserves to experience abuse of any kind for any reason and every type of abuse is serious.
Empowering Youth: YWCA Delaware's Ongoing Commitment to Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
By Rachel Brieger
After continued efforts from the American Bar Association, Congress marked February as Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM) in 2010. At the heart of this groundbreaking movement were impassioned teenagers and parents motivated by personal experiences, having witnessed loved ones endure dating violence or experiencing it themselves. Ever since this monumental date, the month has served as a platform to raise awareness about the prevalence of mistreatment in teenage relationships and educate on effective preventative strategies.
In 2022, the US Department of Justice reported that up to 19% of teens face physical or sexual violence by their partners, and 65% face psychological abuse. Delaware’s Domestic Violence Coordinating Council states that 8.9% of Delaware high school students have experienced dating violence and 10.4% have experienced sexual dating violence.
This month is an important time for YWCA Delaware as we commit ourselves to shedding light on how teen dating violence affects thousands of young people in Delaware and spreading awareness about our Youth Development and Sexual Assault Response Center (SARC) programs and services.
Our Sexual Assault Response Center and Youth Development Program work together to offer a healthy relationships and teen dating workshops for students in grades 6-12 which focuses on maneuvering the complexities of love and relationships. These workshops serve as a safe space for open dialogue and address establishing healthy boundaries, identifying warning signs of abuse, emphasizing consent and promoting effective communication skills.
At the center of our Youth Development is our YW Esteem workshop, which is offered to individuals, schools, and organizations as a stand-alone or series of sessions covering one or multiple topics about self-improvement. These sessions cover leadership, self-awareness and respect, conflict resolution, decision making, and teen dating violence prevention – all through the lens of diversity and racial equity. By teaching students the importance of recognizing the power of their voice, youth are given an essential skill that will stick with them not only through dating but daily life.
Our YW Leaders program provides students with insights on how they can get more involved with the legislative process and impact an array of policies that protect survivors of violence.
Through these initiatives, YWCA Delaware is helping to shape a new generation that acts with understanding, consent and empathy. In 2023, YWCA Delaware’s Youth Program provided workshops to over 550 students. As TDVAM unfolds this month and every day of the year, YWCA Delaware remains committed to helping youth and adults nurture healthy and safe relationships. To learn more about how you can help spread awareness about teen dating violence and contribute to positive change in your community, visit the Love is Respect 2024 Action Guide.
Youth Development
Empowering Youth to Reach Their Full Potential
The mission of YWCA Delaware’s Youth Development programming is to build the strength of the community by empowering youth to maximize their personal and educational potential. We provide comprehensive and innovative college and career preparation and diversity and leadership workshops for middle and high-school students. Our free in-person, hybrid and virtual youth programs challenge students to become independent thinkers advocating for their own success while building their self-esteem, social competence and employability skills.
To register for any of YWCA Delaware's Youth Workshops click below. For more information on these programs, please contact Ty Randolph, Youth Program Manager: 302.224.4060, ext. 215 or trandolph@ywcade.org.
#WearOrangeDay - Feb. 6, 2024
Dating violence is not just a statistic; it's a reality for too many teens. Let's break the silence, raise awareness, and empower each other to recognize the signs and speak up.
Almost 9% of Delaware high school students have experienced physical dating violence (The Delaware Domestic Violence Coordinating Council).
74% of school age dating violence incidents reported were in elementary and middle schools (Delaware Department of Education).
Nationwide, 1.5 million high school students are physically abused by dating partners every year (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence).
Studies show that approximately 10% of adolescents report being the victim of physical violence at the hands of an intimate partner during the previous year (youth.gov).
Girls are particularly vulnerable to experiencing violence in their relationships and are more likely to suffer long-term behavioral and health consequences, including suicide attempts, eating disorders, and drug use. (youth.gov).
43% of LGBTQ+ teens and 29% of heterosexual youth reported being victims of physical dating violence (Journal of Youth and Adolescence).
If you know of a teen or parent that could benefit from speaking to a caring, well-trained peer advocate, or needs access teen dating violence resources, please connect them with our Sexual Assault Response Center, at 800-773-8570. Learn more at www.ywcade.org/sarc
Tips & Resources
February 13, 4 - 5 p.m.
Join us on Tuesday, February 13 from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Laurel Public Library (101 E 4th St, Laurel, DE 19956) for a conversation about Human Trafficking and dating violence. Due to the sensitive nature of this topic, we request that only teens ages 16 and up, as well as adults attend this session. While registration is not required, please consider it so that we can prepare ahead of time