Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month 2026

All Alaskans deserve to enjoy healthy and safe relationships, free from abuse; and it is essential to provide our youth with education about healthy relationships, as well as safe shelter and assistance for those experiencing abuse.

Sadly, in Alaska, the statistics are particularly alarming: nearly 30% of high school students report experiencing physical dating violence, and 20% report experiencing sexual dating violence, both significantly higher than the national average, according to breeslaw.org.

Dating violence is a pattern of behavior involving the use or threat of physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, and other abusive behavior to harm, harass, or control another person with whom they have or had an intimate relationship. The ensuing results can be catastrophic, resulting in long-lasting pain, increased risk of substance abuse, depression, suicide, poor academic performance, engaging in risky or unhealthy behaviors, and further risk of future abuse from a partner in adulthood.

According to the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, among students who dated or went out with someone, 15% of female high school students and 5% of male high school students in Alaska reported experiencing sexual dating violence one or more times in the past 12 months

To bring awareness, Governor Mike Dunleavy has proclaimed February as Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month.

“The prevalence of sexual and intimate partner violence is a major public health concern in Alaska, and it is vital that we provide young Alaskans with the tools and education necessary to acknowledge, prevent, and avoid abuse in relationships,” he wrote in his proclamation. He encouraged 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.

One way to show support is participating in Wear Orange Day on Tuesday, Feb. 10, as a National day of awareness by wearing orange shirts, ribbons, jewelry, shoes, nail polish, or anything else you can think of.

For more information, please visit www.breeslaw.org/copy-of-wear-orange-day