Dating abuse isn't something anyone wants to talk about, but as long as we're ignoring it, the problem will never go away. Instead, join Stay Teen as we participate in National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, a national effort to raise awareness about dating violence and abuse during the month of February.

Did you know that:

• 1 in 4 teen girls say they have been concerned about being physically hurt by their partner.
• 1 in 4 teens who have been in a serious relationship say that a 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.
• Half of teen girls who have experienced sexual pressure report they are afraid the relationship would end if they did not give in.
• Nearly 1 in 4 girls who have been in a relationship (23%) reported going further sexually than they wanted as a result of pressure.

People (girls AND guys) can experience several different types of abuse which can include:

• Physical abuse: any intentional use of physical force meant to cause fear or injury, like hitting, shoving, biting, strangling, kicking, or using a weapon.
• Emotional abuse: non-physical behavior such as threats, insults, humiliation, intimidation, isolation, or stalking.
• Sexual abuse: any action that forces undesired sexual behavior on you by another person. This includes making you do anything you don’t want to do sexually, refusing to have safe sex, aggressively pressuring you to go further than you want to sexually, or making you feel badly about yourself sexually.

Know the signs. Not sure if you’re in an unhealthy relationship? Take a step back and ask yourself the questions in our Dating Abuse Checklist. And get more information on Stay Teen's Dating Abuse page. And if you or someone you know is a victim of abuse, seek help. You are not alone and there are places you can turn to for help. Talk to your parents, a teacher, or another adult you can trust. You can also contact the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline at 1-866-331-9474 (1-866-331-8453 for the hearing impaired) or online at www.loveisrespect.org.

Get Involved:

There are a lot of simple ways you can join the fight against teen dating violence. For example:

• Wear orange on February 11; learn more about the orange out on Facebook.
• Read the National School Announcement on February 14; be part of a one-million strong movement this Valentine’s Day and read the National Announcement across your school’s intercom, to your class, or whatever! 
• Set your Facebook status or send out Tweets. Some examples include:
  • February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month. Get more info and help break the cycle! http://www.stayteen.org/article/dating-violence-month #TDVAPM 
  • Not talking about it doesn't make it go away. February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month. Join the conversation! http://www.stayteen.org/article/dating-violence-month #TDVAPM 
  • Love is not abuse! February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month. http://www.stayteen.org/article/dating-violence-month #TDVAPM

There are more great ideas at the official Teen Dating Violence and Prevention Awareness Month webpage. Check them out now!

More Resources:

You can find our more about dating violence at the following places:

• Break the Cycle
• Teen Dating Violence Month official site
• Love is Respect