Teen/tween dating violence - what every parent needs to know

CBS hosted a recent segment on The Early Show about “Teen Dating Danger – What every parent should know.” During this segment, they highlighted many shocking statistics from a recent study commissioned by Liz Claiborne Inc. and loveisrespect.org, the organization that operates the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline. The results of the survey found:

• 69% of all teens who had sex by age 14 said they have gone through one or more types of abuse in a relationship.


• 40% of the youngest tweens (those between the ages of 11 and 12) report that their friends are victims of verbal abuse in relationships, and nearly one-in-ten (9%) say their friends have had sex.
  
• One-in-five between the ages of 13 and 14 say their friends are victims of dating violence, such as getting struck, hit or slapped by a boyfriend or girlfriend, and nearly half of all tweens in relationships say they know friends who are verbally abused.


• Only half of all tweens (51%) claim to know the warning signs of a bad/hurtful relationship.

The Early Show featured several different experts on the subject of teen dating violence, who emphasized that “programs are needed to help parents and their kids recognize unhealthy relationships, and to stop them before they start.”

And the YWCA is working to do just that.

Each year, YWCA Resolve’s Teen Dating Violence Prevention Specialists provide over 100 educational workshops to more than 3,000 students and teachers at middle and high schools in Kanawha, Clay and Boone Counties. During these workshops, students learn about healthy relationships, warning signs of abusive relationships, what to do if a friend is experiencing abuse, myths and facts about teen dating violence, and additional resources for students, teachers and parents alike.

And we’re not stopping just because schools are out for the summer! On Thursday, July 31, from 5-7pm, the YWCA Resolve Teen Dating Violence Prevention Program is hosting “Celebrate Respect” – A teen rally to promote healthy relationships. We’re inviting teens 12-18 to join us at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center, located at 314 Donnally Street in downtown Charleston, for free food, door prizes, music, workshops, expression through art, and more! Click here for more information or to download the event flyer.