In the interest of our mission to advocate for children and teens who have experienced abuse or neglect, CASA of Travis County is shining a light on Teen Dating Violence (TDV), but what is TDV, and why is it important to educate yourself on this unhealthy teen dating behavior?
In the context of a consensual relationship, TDV includes abuse (psychological, physical, or sexual), harassment, or stalking of any person between the ages of 12-18.
In the context of a consensual relationship, TDV includes abuse (psychological, physical, or sexual), harassment, or stalking of any person between the ages of 12-18. This type of intimate partner violence can happen in person or electronically. Technology-facilitated sexual violence is an example of TDV carried out electronically and includes the same type of abuse, harassment, and manipulation that can take place in real life. TDV has a high overlap between youth who feel victimized and youth who perpetrate abusive behaviors in their relationships. TDV can also have short and long-term effects on a teen’s ability to develop healthy relationships. For example, victims of TDV are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and engage in unhealthy behaviors.
The issue of youth domestic violence gained national attention during the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in 2005. Enacted in 1994 to improve resources for victims of sexual assault, dating violence, and domestic violence, the VAWA is renewed and amended roughly every five years. Various organizations sent representatives to help create the work used for adding TDV to the VAWA in 2005, including representatives from the SAFE Alliance here in Austin.
Youth who have more experience with healthy relationships are less likely to tolerate abusive behaviors than youth who have more experience with abusive behaviors.
Support for youth dating services grew until National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention gained its own week in 2006 and eventually its own month in 2010. Groups across the nation continue to raise awareness of TDV while also providing tools for teens, parents, and schools to better address this issue.
National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, or Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM) for short, is not only about raising awareness. TDVAM aims to promote healthy relationships and highlight how that knowledge can prevent TDV in the future. Projects related to TDVAM have earned grants to study the short and long-term effects of TDV on youth, created programs dedicated to erasing various forms of gender-based violence, and provided resources to all TDV victims. Teens, boys in particular, experiencing dating violence are less likely to ask an adult for help, so it is important for families and communities to begin teaching children skills for building healthy relationships as early as possible.
The TDVAM theme for 2024 is “Love Like That.” The aim of this year’s theme is to call on us to create positive actions that illustrate healthy love in different ways.
Youth who have more experience with healthy relationships are less likely to tolerate abusive behaviors than youth who have more experience with abusive behaviors.
The TDVAM theme for 2024 is “Love Like That.” The aim of this year’s theme is to call on us to create positive actions that illustrate healthy love in different ways. Our youth at CASA deserve healthy relationships and the skills for how to build them. If you have pre-teens or teens, speak to them this month about the importance of building healthy relationships. This is just one way to acknowledge TVDAM and help prevent future dating violence.
