Across America, teens impacted by abusive relationships, suffering in silence as they are threatened with or subjected to physical violence, sexual violence, psychological aggression, or stalking from a current or former intimate partner.  National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month was created to bring this topic out of the shadows and commit to promoting healthy relationships among teens. 

 Each year, around 12 percent of American high schoolers experience physical or sexual violence at the hands of an intimate partner.  Young women, transgender teens, and gender nonconforming youth are disproportionately affected.  Dating violence can also occur on social media, online, and through other electronic communication in the form of cyberstalking, distribution of intimate images, and other technology-facilitated harms.  This trauma not only affects survivors’ health, safety, and aspirations as teenagers, it can also follow them into adulthood and increase the risk of violence in future relationships. When we teach teens about healthy, nonviolent relationships, we support their development and create safer, healthier communities for everyone. 

By recognizing the signs of dating and domestic violence, setting positive examples of healthy relationships that lift up instead of tear down, and making clear that abuses of power are never acceptable, we can build a culture where respect is the norm. 

If you or someone you know is involved in an abusive relationship of any kind, immediate and confidential support is available through the National Domestic Violence Hotline’s project focused on supporting young people by visiting loveisrespect.org, calling 1-866-331-9474 (TTY: 1-800-787-3224), or texting “LOVEIS” to 22522.