love is respect Encourages Young Adults to ‘Know Your Worth’ in Campaign to Promote Healthy Relationships

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

February 1, 2021

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love is respect Encourages Young Adults to ‘Know Your Worth’ in Campaign to Promote Healthy Relationships

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

AUSTIN — One in every ten teenagers will experience violence in a dating relationship. Raising awareness of what makes a relationship healthy and the warning signs of abuse empowers young people to know that they deserve to be treated with respect and that abuse of any kind is unacceptable. This powerful information and support can shift the outcomes for teens and young adults, but also lower rates of domestic violence among adults — currently 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience severe physical violence from an intimate partner.

love is respect, a project of the National Domestic Violence Hotline, is leading this national effort by offering 24/7 support to young people who have questions or concerns about their relationships. In February, love is respect, working alongside national, state, and local domestic violence prevention organizations, promote Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. 2021’s theme, chosen by college students across the country, is Know Your Worth.

“With early education, permanent connections and community support, we can transfer power to our young people to know that they deserve healthy, happy and safe relationships,” said Debbie Powell, Deputy Associate Commissioner for the Family and Youth Services Bureau. “Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month is an important moment for teens, young adults, and those who love, teach, mentor, and support them to learn about the warning signs of dating violence and how to seek out healthy relationships.”

The Know Your Worth campaign is grounded in the belief that everyone, regardless of sexual identity, race, or gender is worthy of respect. No one should ever feel unworthy of a respectful relationship or worthless. Throughout the month, love is respect and its partners will hold social media actions to empower teens and young adults to learn more about healthy relationships and to know the treatment they deserve.

“The challenges of isolation, stress, and financial strain being faced by survivors during this pandemic also extends to teens young adults, and we anticipate there will be long-term effects on their health and safety,” said Angela Lee, love is respect Director. “Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month offers a significant opportunity to create awareness around abuse, particularly during a time that is acutely challenging for survivors.”

One in three teens report experiencing dating violence and 43% of college students report experiencing violent or abusive behaviors in relationships. The risks to survivors of abuse have been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Individuals can participate in Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month on social media with hashtag #KnowYourWorth and by loveisrespect.org/get-involved/tdvam/.

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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 advocate 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