Since
2006, February has been observed as an important time to raise awareness about
the serious issue of dating violence in high schools, colleges and communities
across the nation.
In
2008, the US Senate unanimously apporoved S. Res. 710 declaring the first week
of February as "National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week,"
and on January 25, 2010, the Senate expanded the observance by declaring the month
of February as "National Teen Dating Violence Awareness & Prevention
Month" (S. Res. 373).
This
year, there are
many things that you can do to help raise awareness about dating abuse and violence.
Here are some ideas:
1)
Write to your Mayor and Governor and ask them to join other leaders across the
nation in declaring February as Dating Violence Awareness & Prevention Month.
In most cases, all it takes is a school or nonprofit organization to request it
and provide a sample proclamation! (Please ask them to send a copy to StopDatingViolence.org
- PO Box 340, Roosevelt, NJ 08555-0340, or send a scan to info@emilyfund.org
so that it can be posted on the internet to inspire other communities to do the
same.) | |
2)
If your town or state has declared a proclamation, let your local newspaper know
about it and why dating violence awareness is important.
3)
Wear a purple ribbon (the official color of domestic violence awareness) or a
heart on your sleeve (print out free designs at the Have
a Heart Campaign
website) and when people ask you about it, let them know why dating abuse awareness
is important to you.
4)
Create or print out posters about dating abuse to display at school or around
your community.
5)
Participate in the National Dating Pledge Challenge to Stop Dating Violence -
hand out FREE Dating Pledge cards.
6)
Set up a table on campus or during lunch to hand out Dating Pledge cards and other
educational materials about dating abuse and dating violence.
7)
Urge your school to establish a year-round Dating Violence Awareness program if
there isn't one already in place.
8)
Find out more about the Lindsay
Ann Burke Act requiring schools to provide dating violence awareness resources
to all students. 3 states have already passed bills - has yours? .
9)
Find out more:
No
Means Know's Teen Dating Violence Month Activity Ideas (PDF)
LoveIsRespect.org's
Teen Dating Violence Community Awareness Ideas
New
Mexico's Teen Dating Violence Awareness & Prevention Toolkit (PDF)
Mesa
Arizona's page on Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
Teen
Dating Violence Prevention Initiative - Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
Break The
Cycle's Have a Heart Campaign
Some
information on this page also from:
The
Safe Space.org (http://www.thesafespace.org/tdvap-week/)
Utah
Department of Health:http://health.utah.gov/vipp/dating%
20violence/awarenessweek.html
NY
State Office for the Prevention of Violence: http://www.opdv.state.ny.us/public_awareness/campaigns/tdvcampaigns/awareactivities.html
Printable
PDF Handout
Sample
Proclamation:
Whereas,
dating violence is a reality for many youth, and an issue that many parents are
unaware of; and,
Whereas,
1 in 3 young people are affected by physical, sexual, or verbal dating violence,
with 1 in 5 in a serious relationship reporting having been slapped, pushed, hit,
threatened or coerced by a partner, and breakups can be a time of even greater
risk even when a relationship was never physically abusive; and,
Whereas,
Young people can choose better relationships when they understand that healthy
relationships are based on respect and learn to identify early warning signs of
an abusive relationship; and
Whereas,
Elimination of dating violence must be achieved through cooperation of individuals,
organizations, and communities; and,
Whereas,
Dating Violence Awareness & Prevention Month provides an excellent opportunity
for citizens to learn more about preventing dating violence and to show support
for the numerous organizations and individuals who provide critical advocacy,
services and assistance to victims;
Now
therefore be it, Resolved, That I, ________________, do hereby proclaim the month
of February, 2010, as Dating Violence Awareness & Prevention Month in ____________.
Please
send a copy of your Mayor or Governor's proclamation to
StopDatingViolence.org
- The EMILY Fund
PO Box 430, Roosevelt, NJ 08555-0430
or send a scan to:
info@emilyfund.org or Fax to 1-888-247-1291