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Teen Dating Violence Awareness
If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I don’t do “romantic” Valentine’s Day themes. I’ve done friendship, friends before romance, and ace/aromantic books. Today, I thought I would work on a list of books that are appropriate for Teen Dating Awareness Month.
Why a month of awareness for Teen Dating Violence?
According to loveisrespect.org, “One in three teens in the U.S. will experience physical, sexual, or emotional abuse by someone they are in a relationship with before they become adults. And nearly half (43%) of college women report experiencing violent and abusive dating behaviors.”
Teens may take these early dating experiences with them throughout their lives. We want to break that cycle. Educate teens on what loving, respectful relationships look like and help them to recognize red flags that may precede violence.
Other resources:
National Dating Abuse HelplineDrugs, Alcohol, and DatingHow to respond if someone is pressuring youDigital Technology — cyberbullying and other harassmentHomeless teens are particularly at risk for relationship violence. Find a toolkit here.
