In recognition of National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, the Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB) Youth Center will host several events to raise awareness on base to include a teen dance on Feb. 21 and a sports day, Feb. 28.
According to Amelia Flores, JBAB’s domestic abuse victim advocate, dating violence or relationship abuse is a pattern of violent behavior that someone uses against a girlfriend or boyfriend. Abuse can cause injury and even death, but it doesn’t have to be physical. It can take many forms, including threats, emotional abuse, insults, and isolation from friends and family, name-calling and controlling what someone wears or with whom they socialize. It can also include sexual abuse.
“It’s important because of the prevention,” said Flores. “We’d rather do prevention than have to deal with any violence, so that’s why we’re doing this.”
During the teen dance and sports’ day, Flores will be talking to teens about healthy relationships, self-respect, identifying unhealthy relationships, and who to contact for help.
“It is our goal to help teens identify unhealthy patterns of behavior and to understand that they are not alone and do not have to stay in an unhealthy relationship.”
What is the right age to start talking to your children about teen dating violence? Before your child starts dating, Flores said. They should be able to identify what an unhealthy relationship is before getting into one.
Parents should talk to their child about self-respect, self-esteem, what is and isn’t acceptable in a relationship, and how to be treated.
“To a lot of parents, the young love between teenagers comes off as ‘puppy love,’ but to these teenagers, their relationships can become incredibly intense and all-consuming,” Flores said. “They put up with a lot more because they are still developing a sense of who they are, which is why it’s very important to start targeting them before they date.”
For more information on teen dating violence awareness, go to www.loveisrespect.org/teenDVmonth or call their hotline at 1-866-331-9474. Teens can also text “loveis” to 22522.
For the presidential proclamation for teen dating violence, refer to page 4 of this week’s Joint Base Journal.