February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month.

Across the United States, young people are impacted by abusive relationships, suffering in silence as they are threatened with or subjected to physical violence, sexual violence, psychological aggression, or stalking from a current or former intimate partner. February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month (TDVAM), a time that encourages young people and their families to raise awareness and focus on education on teen dating violence.

In a proclamation, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy wrote, “dating violence can result in long-lasting pain, increased risk of substance abuse, depression and suicide, poor academic performance, engaging in risk or unhealthy behaviors, and further risk of future abuse from a partner in adulthood.”

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), teen dating violence (TDV), also called, “dating violence”, is an adverse childhood experience that affects millions of young people in the United States.

Dating violence can take place in person, online, or through technology. It is a type of intimate partner violence that can include physical violence, sexual violence-forcing or attempting to force a partner to take part in a sex act and or sexual touching when the partner does not consent or is unable to consent or refuse, non-physical sexual behaviors like posting or sharing sexual pictures of a partner without their consent or sexting someone without their consent, psychological aggression in which the perpetrator uses verbal and non-verbal communication to harm a partner mentally or emotionally and exert control over a partner, and stalking.

Teen dating violence is common. Data from CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey in 2019 indicate that among U.S. high school students who reported dating during the 12 months before the survey that about 1 in 12 experienced physical dating violence, and that about 1 in 12 experienced sexual dating violence.

Teens might often think some behaviors, like teasing and name-calling, are a “normal” part of a relationship. However, these behaviors can become abusive and develop into serious forms of violence. Many teens do not report unhealthy behaviors because they are afraid to tell family and friends.

There are some teens who may be at greater risk than others. Female students experienced higher rates of physical and sexual dating violence than male students. Students who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ) or those who were unsure of their gender identity experienced higher rates of physical and sexual dating violence compared to students who identified as heterosexual.

For those who think it could never happen to them, on June 26, 2014, Bree Moore was a 20-year old young woman with a bright future until her life was cut short after she was shot and killed by her boyfriend in a fit of dating violence.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, her parents worked to make sure what happened to their daughter would serve as a lesson for all Alaskans. Their efforts prompted the Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Education, more commonly known as Bree’s Law, into The Alaska Safe Children’s Act, which was signed into law by Governor Walker in July 2015.

At the heart of Bree’s Law, dating violence education is being taught in grades 7-12 in all Alaska public schools, providing instruction to teens on how to develop healthy relationships, practice supportive communication skills, recognize the warning signs of an abusive relationship, and where to go for help. Bree’s Law also empowering teens to help themselves and watch for the danger signs among their friends.

The Whitehouse Proclamation for TDVAM, in part read, “By recognizing the signs of dating and domestic violence, setting positive examples of healthy relationships that lift up instead of tear down, and making clear that abuses of power are never acceptable, we can build a culture where respect is the norm, dignity is the rule, and safety is the expectation — both online and offline.”

“(I) encourage all Alaskans to take a proactive role in ending dating violence by seeking out education on healthy relationships and fostering safe and healthy environments for all individuals in every community,” wrote Governor Dunleavy in his proclamation.

If you or someone you know is involved in an abusive relationship of any kind, immediate and confidential support is available through the National Domestic Violence Hotline’s project focused on supporting young people by visiting loveisrespect.org, calling 1-866-331-9474 (TTY: 1-800-787-3224), or texting “LOVEIS” to 22522.

A little closer to the Mat-Su Borough, contact the Alaska Family Services Shelter in Palmer at (907) 746-4080, or toll-free 1-866-746-4080. Visit their website at www.akafs.org

For more information about Bree’s Law, visit www.breeslaw.org