February is Natioanl Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month. SafeLiving Case Manager Antonia Smith shared her feelings on the importance of creating awareness of teen dating violence and providing solutions. She says:
Domestic violence is so often passed from generation to generation, especially if the individuals involved never seek help. Sometimes they do not know there is help out there, that it is confidential, or who to contact. Teens experiencing abuse have limited resources and are frequently embarrassed or scared to tell someone about what is happening to them. The National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline (1-866-331-9474) is a progressive hotline that focuses on these issues to help teens recognize the red flags in abusive relationships and break the cycle of violence.
It is crucial to spread the word that there is help for teens experiencing abuse in their relationships. That’s why it is so important to me to tell people about the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline. Using this resource, teens can talk or live chat with peer advocates about their situation, discuss options, and get assistance and support. Best of all it is geared towards teens with an interactive website that is really interesting, www.loveisrespect.org.
