Advocates address teen dating violence awareness

Tahlequah Daily Press - 2/9/2021

Feb. 8—Advocates said they are alarmed by statistics for abused teenagers, and they're focusing on the numbers this month during National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month.

Help In Crisis Executive Director Laura Kuester said one in three teens experience some type of abuse while in a dating relationship.

"What's even worse is the technology of the abuse," said Kuester. "That is what's really catapulted dating violence is that digital abuse. Partners are using texting and social media to bully, harass, intimidate, or stalk a partner."

According to loveisrespect.org, dating violence is more common than people think.

"One in three teens in the U.S. will experience physical, sexual, or emotional abuse from someone they're in a relationship with before they become adults," states loveisrespect.org. "Nearly half, 43 percent, of college woman report experiencing violence or abusive dating behaviors."

According to the Centers for Disease Control, teen dating violence can have serious short-term and long-term consequences.

"While healthy relationships tend to have a positive effect on emotional development and future relationships, abusive relationships often do the opposite. Dating violence victims are likely to experience suicidal thoughts, antisocial behaviors, depression and anxiety, and engage in unhealthy behaviors, such as alcohol and drug use," teendvmonth.org states.

While there are few classes pertaining to healthy relationships taught to teens in school, education and awareness are key for noticing red flags staked out by victims who don't speak up.

"For the past few years, we've gone into a few schools and have done been a part of an Adult Day," said Kuester. "It's a great concept and it went so that we went in and did a healthy relationship presentation."

Kuester said a red flag that may go unnoticed that may indicate an unhealthy relationship is when couples share their location 24/7.

"It's amazing how many dating relationships have each other on some sort of GPS tracking device," she said. "That is not healthy, and you shouldn't have to tell your partner where you are at every single moment of the day."

For February, HIC is hosting an online discussion series focused on healthy relationships.

"It's every Thursday night at 7 p.m. and majority of what we spend our time on is crisis intervention. We're doing the series and it's all about healthy relationships," said Kuester.

Get involved

Join in on the weekly HIC series Conversation Hearts on Zoom, https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88504286540.

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