In case you have been living under a rock (or have not seen the movie), we ran an ad before the start of movies in parts of California and in parts of Texas .The ad asks a simple question: “Does your relationship need a makeover?”The question makes you think about your current relationship, drawing attention to the fact that you have rights and deserve to be in a healthy relationship.We now have a quiz on our website (www.loveisrespect.org or on our Youtube account at ) that asks about your relationship.
We want to hear what you thought about our ad?Think about all the times you have to be quiet: at school, during a movie (especially High School Musical 3), at church, when your parents are talking to you… the list could go on forever.Basically, you have to be quiet forever, and your opinion is not highly valued.We think differently!
Tell us anything you want, good or bad.Was the ad cool or stupid?What parts were your favorites?Did you tell your friends about the ad?If you were in charge of making the ad, what would you have done differently?
If you have any questions or want to talk more about the quiz, call or chat with us (oh yeah, we have a chat service that you can access on our website).This is your chance to be heard, so speak out!
To Write Love on Her Arms is an awareness campaign for the prevention of self injury, suicide, addiction, and depression. These things are all big aspects of dating abuse, and things we hear every day form callers and chatters. The stress and trauma of abuse can lead to depression and addiction in teens. We want to keep destructive decisions out of the equation and encourage teens to seek help and an outlet that is healthy and will allow for the greatest chance of recovery and success. Help spread the awareness for To Write Love on Her Arms project, by simply writing the word “Love” on your arm and spreading the word about this worthy cause.
This morning we found out that loveisrespect.org is the Webby Award Winner in the category of Activism. We’re so excited that our website and live chat advocacy was recognized. We’re still working to improve our site and fill it with useful content and we’re always open to suggestions. Leave a comment or send us an email if you have any input.
Check out the the Webby Awards website for a full list of winners. Thanks to all who took the time to vote for us in the People’s Voice awards - and congratulations to Invisible Children for picking up that honor.
loveisrespect is building a reading list, and we could use your help. If you’ve seen or read books that deal with dating abuse (fiction or non-fiction), please let us know. You can comment here or contact us through www.loveisrespect.org. No book report required (but we won’t turn them away either).
It’s been five years since 15-year old Ortralla Mosley, a high school sophmore, was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in a hallway at Reagan High School in Austin. This weekend, Carolyn Mosley, Ortralla’s mother, held a memorial and press conference commemorating Ortralla’s death and promoting awareness of teen dating violence. You can learn more about Ortralla’s story by visiting the Myspace page for the Ortralla Foundation.
When an abusive relationship ends in murder, it often receives media attention that can last for years. While we think this a good thing, we do want to stress that many people are involved in controlling or abusive relationships that aren’t physically abusive. Often, an abuser becomes more violent and more dangerous after a break-up. We hope that stories like Ortralla’s will reach teens that may never think their relationship could get to this point.
Ashley Hoyle, the winner of our Teen Dating Bill of Rights video contest, met with Tim Gunn and Jaslene Gonzalez during her trip to NYC (the first place prize) last week. We heard she had a great time, and we’re so glad she helped kick off Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week.
We had a little Halloween party for our staff and peer advocates yesterday. We ate too much candy, watched some scary movies and had some very creepy visitors…
I recently participated in It’s Time to Talk Day – a day for focusing on the issue of teen dating abuse hosted by Liz Claiborne and loveisrespect, National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline. I was really excited to be invited, but before taking part, I spent some time researching dating abuse and domestic violence. Though I knew it was an important issue before, I found some statistics at www.loveisrespect.org that surprised me. Did you know that 1 in 5 teenswho have been in a serious relationship report being hit, slapped or pushed by a partner? But it’s not just physical abuse - 1 in 4 teens who have been in a serious relationship say their boyfriend or girlfriend has tried to prevent them from spending time with friends or family. When you put it that way, it’s easy to see that dating abuse probably effects someone in your life, whether you know it or not.
I hope you’ll take the time to visit the newly updated loveisrespect.org for info on dating abuse and healthy relationships, quizzes, the Teen Dating Bill of Rights, and if you need it, a direct link to live chat with a peer advocate. Please take the time to educate yourself. Even if you’re not in an abusive relationship, you may be able to help a friend or family member.
Thanks,
Camille Winbush
*I’m featured in a new PSA for loveisrespect, National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline. Watch for it!
Peer Advocates are available for assistance and support.
If chat is unavailable, call 1-866-331-9474 or 1-866-331-8453 TTY.
Help end teen dating abuse. Donate to loveisrespect.org.
1 in 4 teens who have been in a serious relationship say their boyfriend or girlfriend has tried to prevent them from spending time with friends or family; the same number have been pressured to only spend time with their partner.
