Love is Respect Empowers Teens to “Be About It” in Campaign to Promote Healthy Dating

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AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — This February, love is respect, the prevention program of the National Domestic Violence Hotline, empowers and centers the voices of young people through members of its Youth Council during Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM) to create awareness of how to recognize and prevent youth dating abuse. This year’s theme is “Be About It.”

“#BeAboutIt is our way of being unapologetic about showing up for ourselves and other young adults and calling on everyone to listen to us – we know best about what issues impact us,” said Zane Landin, love is respect Youth Council member. “We need information and support. I’m glad to be a part of love is respect’s work to ensure we get it.”

One in every three U.S. teenagers will experience some form of dating abuse before becoming adults. Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month is lead nationally by love is respect and focuses on education, engagement, and empowerment. Together with hundreds of partner organizations, we amplify the voices of teens and young adults and those who support them. The campaign highlights the issues teens face related to healthy relationships. Throughout the month, love is respect and its partners will hold calls-to-action on social media to empower teens and young adults to learn more about healthy relationships. Individuals can engage with Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month on social media with the hashtag #BeAboutIt, by visiting the love is respect website, by downloading and using the TDVAM Action Guide, and/or by attending a free webinar on youth, dating, and online harassment.

“Uplifting healthy relationships and empowering our teens and young adults with education and resources is vital to preventing dating abuse,” said Angela Lee, Director of love is respect. “Having support from parents, peers, educators, and other people can dramatically change outcomes for teens and young adults. By asking us to #BeAboutIt, young people are telling us they want the people they care about to make a sincere, meaningful effort to keep them safe and ensure they get the respect they deserve.”

The statistics on relationship abuse for teens and young adults demonstrate how often they experience abuse, with particular attention paid to abuse in online spaces:

  • Approximately 1 in 5 women and 1 in 7 men who experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner first experienced some form of partner violence between 11 and 17 years of age. (Source)
  • 1 in 10 high school students has experienced physical violence from a dating partner in the past year. (Source)
  • Just over a quarter of youth in a current or recent relationship said that they experienced some form of cyber dating abuse victimization in the prior year, with females reporting more cyber dating abuse victimization than males (particularly sexual cyber dating abuse). (Source)

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love is respect is the national resource to disrupt and prevent unhealthy relationships and intimate partner violence by empowering young people through inclusive and equitable education, support, and resources. A project of the National Domestic Violence Hotline, love is respect offers 24/7 information, support, and advocates to young people who have questions or concerns about their romantic relationships. love is respect is a safe, inclusive space for young people to access help and information in a setting specifically for them. Learn more at loveisrespect.org