Thursday, February 2, 2012

My Heart is on My Sleeve!


February is National Teen Dating Violence Prevention and Awareness Month.

The statistics are ugly. The numbers are only rising. According to the Center for Disease Control (cdc.gov), nearly 10% of high school students report being hit, slapped, or physically abused by a dating partner. Another survey states that one in three teens are a victim of physical, emotional, or verbal abuse from a dating partner (teendvmonth.org). Only 33% of teens who are in an abusive relationship will report the abuse, and 81% of parents believe teen dating violence is not an issue or admit they don’t know if it’s an issue (teendvmonth.org).

This year someone you know will be physically, emotionally, or verbally abused, and they probably won’t tell you. It’s time to talk openly about healthy and unhealthy relationships. It's time to raise awareness, to provide education, and to promote prevention.

For the entire month of February, wear your heart on your sleeve. I am! Make your own or go online to download an already designed heart.


Get the conversation started. Spread the word. Prevent the cycle of abuse.

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