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February: Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month is a month-long awareness campaign dedicated to ending teen dating abuse. Congress declared February to be National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month in 2010. Every February, teens and adults are encouraged to talk about dating abuse. 

Teen dating violence is a type of intimate partner violence, including a pattern of controlling and manipulative behaviors towards one teen by another in a dating relationship. There are four different types of teen dating violence. The first is physical violence. This includes all physical abuse such as hitting, kicking, and pushing. The second is sexual violence. This includes forcing or attempting to force a partner to participate in a sexual act or sexual touching without their consent. This form of abuse is not always physical– it can be done virtually by sharing or posting sexual pictures of a partner without their permission, or sexting a partner without their consent. The third form of teen dating violence is psychological and emotional abuse. This is described as verbal and non-verbal communication meant to harm a partner. This can also be used to exert control over a partner. The last type of teen dating violence is stalking– this is includes patterns of unwanted repeated contact by a partner, used to inflict harm and fear. Some of the problems with these behaviors are that they become normalized in teen culture, and become harder to spot when they become dangerous. 

The issue of teen dating violence is widespread, across all communities and cultures. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 1 in 11 female and about 1 in 15 male high school students report having experienced physical dating violence in the last year. About 1 in 9 female and 1 in 36 male high school students report having experienced sexual dating violence in the last year. 26% of women and 15% of men who were victims of contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime first experienced these or other forms of violence by that partner before age 18. LGBTQ+ teens are disproportionately affected in experiencing this violence. According to the a recent Healthy Kids Colorado Survey, nearly 7% of teen respondents report that they were physically forced to have sexual intercourse. Research also shows 1 in 3 Coloradans experience some form of sexual violence in their lifetime, and 80% taking place before 25 years of age.   

There are short– and long–term negative consequences of dealing with teen dating violence. Some of the behaviors associated are depression and anxiety, engaging in unhealthy behaviors like smoking, drinking, and taking drugs, antisocial behaviors like lying, cheating, and bullying, and self–harm and thoughts of suicide.  

Fortunately,  we can combat teen dating violence. One of the best ways is to prioritize prevention and consent education, both in our schools and at home. This includes giving youth the tools to make choices that are in line with their needs and personal values, and the knowledge of setting boundaries and respecting the boundaries of others. According to a Healthy Kids Colorado Survey, there are positive outcomes for students who take prevention education in school. Some of these positive outcomes are protective factors which reduce the likelihood of sexual violence—these include having a support system of adults to talk to. 

As adults, it is important to have conversations with youth about healthy relationships and to model good communication skills at home.  These conversations should start at an early age, and make sure that teens feel supported in their lives.  Moreover, having these conversations with teens are helpful in spotting risky behavior. 

Teen dating violence affects communities and individuals across the country and can cause long-term harm on impressionable teens. Learning about consent is the best way to prevent teen dating abuse and set youths up for healthy and fulfilling relationships. And should sexual violence occur, The Blue Bench is always here to help. If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, give us a call at our 24/7 anonymous and confidential crisis hotline: (303)-322-7273 (English), línea de crisis sobre la violencia sexual: (303)-329-0031(Spanish). Please note, hotline advocates are mandatory reporters - mandatory reporters are required by law to report reasonable suspicions of abuse or neglect to law enforcement, social services, and/or a regulatory agency. The most common mandatory reporting laws address child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, elder abuse, gunshot wounds, and abuse of vulnerable adults (e.g., persons 18 years or older that are unable to report abuse and/or protect themselves from further harm). 

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