Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

Teen dating violence is often overlooked by many – most alarmingly, parents. According to loveisrespect.org, “81 percent of parents believe teen dating violence is not an issue or admit they don’t know if it’s an issue.”

This is concerning, because teen dating violence is an issue. One in three adolescents will experience physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner (loveisrespect.org). As a parent it is important to understand that dating violence is an issue and to educate children about healthy vs. unhealthy dating behaviors.

Talking to teenagers about dating can be difficult and sometimes awkward, but the importance cannot be stressed enough. Without parents having ongoing discussions about what constitutes a healthy dating relationship, teenagers begin to get their information from other sources. What they see in the media or hear from friends can become the norm, and often those sources do not provide good examples for healthy relationships.

Start the discussion with your teens today. Talk to them about healthy and unhealthy behaviors. Let them know that dating violence is not just physical but also verbal and emotional. Teach them to expect respect, and give them someone to come to if something were to happen.