Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, hosted by Break the Cycle, is observed annually in February to promote outreach and education for youth related to building and maintaining safe and healthy intimate relationships.
The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV) is sponsoring a series of events and opportunities for engagement throughout the month of February.
Please forward and share the promotional flyer to help spread the word!
Tuesday, February 4th – It’s Time to Talk Day
#ItsTimeToTalkDay is an annual awareness day designed to generate new conversations about healthy relationships and prevent teen dating violence and abuse. Look for stories from parents, mentors, and friends of teens about how they approached the conversation on NRCDV’s Tumblr. Join the nationwide campaign by visiting, ItsTimeToTalkDay.org. Take the pledge, download the Talk-a-Thon Guide and add your event to the map!
Friday, February 7th – #BeyAware: Words Matter
This BlogTalkRadio program will discuss Beyoncé’s embrace of modern feminism, the use of domestic and sexual violence related lyrics in her song, Drunk In Love, and how these controversial topics might impact teens today. Panelists include Nakia Hansen, feminist, thought leader, cultural critic and NRCDV Board of Directors member and Maurice Hendrix, a violence intervention specialist with over 10 years of experience, both in victim services and batterer intervention in the DC metro area. Listen to this 30-minute Internet radio show via NRCDV’s BlogTalkRadio channel at 2pm Eastern/11am Pacific. Follow live tweets @VAWnet and @NationalDVAM and join the discussion at #BeyAware.
Thursday, February 13th – Healthy Relationships for LGBTQ Youth
This #ReachYouth Twitter Chat will explore engaging LGBTQ youth to promote healthy relationships. Join our guests from The Northwest Network, the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, SMYAL, and Break the Cycle to explore key questions and considerations in reaching out to and supporting LGBTQ-identified teens. Join @VAWnet and @NationalDVAM for this 1-hour discussion at 2pm Eastern/11am Pacific.
Thursday, February 20th – The Impact of Child Exposure to Domestic Violence on Dating Relationships
This BlogTalkRadio program will feature a discussion of how childhood experiences of domestic violence can shape future dating relationships. Our guests include Johnny Rice II, Dr.PH., who will share his story of surviving domestic violence as a child and reflect on his own choices to not use violence in his intimate relationships, and Sherry Hamby, Ph.D., who will discuss the research that explores these intersections and highlight resiliency factors that help people overcome a history of exposure. Listen to this 30-minute Internet radio show via
NRCDV’s BlogTalkRadio channel at 2pm Eastern/11am Pacific. Follow live tweets @VAWnet and @NationalDVAM and join the discussion at
Wednesday, February 26th – Minor Sex Trafficking of Runaway & Homeless Youth
Join us at 3pm Eastern/12pm Pacific for a 90-minute webinar that explores sex trafficking of youth living on the street and in unstable housing situations. Understand the dynamics of how minor sex trafficking occurs; learn strategies to mitigate opportunities for minors to be trafficked; and find out about resources to address this issue in your community. Dr. Michele R. Decker, ScD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health will present on this highly informative webinar session. Her research addresses gender-based violence and related constraints on sexual decision-making, and their health implications. This work is focused on particularly vulnerable groups including teens and those involved in transactional sex. Register now for this webinar!
Throughout February – Teen Dating Violence Blogfest 2014
During TeenDVMonth, we want to hear what teens, parents and advocates have to say about dating, love, sex, and most importantly, healthy relationships. Whether you’re a seasoned blogger or just have something say, we encourage your creativity and participation. We’re looking for submissions of 300 words or less in response to any of the following:
- Thinking back on your high school years, describe your relationships. Looking back now, what’s your impression of that experience?
- Tell us about a teen-themed movie that best describes your relationships with your peers (now or when you were a youth).
- Submit a 2-minute video depicting what you would say to a friend that’s in a relationship that you think is unhealthy for her/ him.
Please submit your blog post in the body of an email, or as an attachment in a Word document, to iortiz@nrcdv.org with the subject “TeenDVMonth 2014 Blogfest.” Submissions must be your original work with any quotes or references properly cited to a credible source. All entries will be considered and selected entries will be posted on the National DVAM Tumblr. Please help cross-promote by posting on your blog and other social networks.
Be sure to clearly indicate the title of your post and how you would like the authorship to appear. Posts may be published anonymously, if so desired. Examples for consideration:
- Option 1– Anonymous, Age 16
- Option 2– Jane, Age 20, @TwitterName
- Option 3– John, Age 22, SGA President
Online Special Collection of Resources
Preventing and Responding to Teen Dating Violence
Updated for February 2014, this Special Collection of resources emphasizes collaborative and multilevel approaches to the prevention of and response to teen dating violence. This year’s updates include additional resources for teachers and school- based professionals and a new section to support the efforts of pregnancy prevention advocates and adolescent sexual health practitioners in addressing adolescent relationship abuse.
