Dating Violence Among Teens Silent Epidemic

By Trisha Almond
President of Guided to Safety 

Youth are our most precious resource and greatest hope for the future. Ensuring their safety, well-being, positive development and growth into healthy citizens is a priority and responsibility we all share. 

We often hear or read about domestic violence in the news, yet we hear little or nothing about teen dating violence, despite it being more common than domestic violence. And the statistics are astounding.

Nearly one in three teens who have been in relationships have experienced the most serious forms of dating violence; more than one in three teens reported that their partners wanted to know where they were and who they were with all the time; half of reported date rapes occur among teenagers. 

Many of our teens don’t know what makes for a healthy relationship. Their education in relationships comes from what they observe at home, in the media, or from peers--not always the model of a healthy relationship. In school, teens receive education on heart disease, obesity, STDs and pregnancy, although statistics show that they are more likely to become a victim of teen dating violence.

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness & Prevention Month and we all have a responsibility to the children in our community to emulate healthy relationships.  They are our future. 

Guided To Safety was founded in 2011 to raise awareness and provide resources and education in domestic violence, sexual assault and teen dating violence within Petaluma and nearby communities. 

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