February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month (TDVAPM)

Hope House is available to give free presentations on healthy relationships and dating violence to teens and at parent workshops and training seminars to school staff, faith leaders, and other youth service providers. We also provide free services to teens affected by dating violence, including supportive counseling, support groups, legal help, and safety planning. Please call us at 608-356-7500 or 1-800-584-6790 to learn more. 

Here are resources to help promote teen dating violence awareness and prevention in February and throughout the year:
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from LoveIsRespect.org
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from LoveIsRespect.org
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from Break the Cycle
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from ThatsNotCool.com
  • LoveIsRespect.org: The go-to website for teen dating violence.  They have a helpline, texting helpline, and online chat for those seeking help.  They have free materials and handouts you can download, an interactive Power and Control wheel and guide to safety planning, information on why people stay, and how to help a friend. They also have a page just for TDVAPM, which has the Respect Week Guide below, as well as a listing of a webinar and healthy relationship polls.
  • Respect Week Guide 2018: This guide has information on national awareness activity ideas for the week of February 12, such as Motivational Monday, Wear Orange (#Orange4Love) on Feb 13, Wellness Wednesday, Social Media Thursday and the National Respect Announcement, and Feel Good Friday and how to organize other awareness events and activities.
  • Break the Cycle: With their theme, Healthy Me, Healthy We, Break the Cycle has lots of great resources and activity ideas here, including a check-list of action items, It's Time To Talk Day discussion guide for parents, and #ChalkAboutLove.
  • ThatsNotCool.com: This website has fun quizzes, videos, games, and downloads related to the issue of teens using technology to be controlling or hurtful to their dating partner. On their social media pages, they're promoting #BcIExist - everyone deserves a healthy relationship because they exist. Share what you deserve using #BcIExist.
  • The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV) is sponsoring a Rights4Girls webinar and an #ImAnActivist social media campaign, podcast series, and Twitter chat for Teen Dating Violence Awareness & Prevention Month 2018. Check out their listing and additional resources here.
  • 100 Conversations: 100 Conversations is filled with good ideas and questions to help parents, and other supportive adults, talk with young adults, age 13-24, on the following topics: boundaries and values, friends and family, relationships, sex, consent and laws, LGBTQ issues, bullying and violence, bystanders and resources, media, and technology.
  • [NY] State Starts Social Media Campaign Against Teen Dating Violence: Check out the 4-minute video featuring teens discussing warning signs of dating violence and encouraging bystanders to speak up.
  • Healthy Relationships and Dating Violence Videos: Check out Hope House's YouTube playlists on healthy relationships, dating violence, and more. Consider showing one or more of the videos at your school or church or at home with your teen.
  • Our Gender Revolution: Designed by the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, the Our Gender Revolution Conversation Guide and supplementary materials were created to help those who are interested in sparking social change to end gender based violence through conversations with high school students (ages 14-18). The guide uses conversations to explore concepts of gender, inequality and violence to engage young people as change agents.
  • Creative Action for Equality: A Toolkit for Change: From the Texas Council on Family Violence, this toolkit describes 12 creative actions that youth can take to promote gender equality, healthy relationships, and non-violence.
  • Love Like This: This blog and image series illustrates some typical situations (breaking up, fighting fair, jealousy, keeping in touch vs. keeping tabs, making a move and asking out) that occur in relationships and gives examples of how to deal with them in a healthy, loving, and respectful way, as opposed to an abusive, controlling, or coercive way. And bonus: it’s filled with cute illustrations of cats—true story.
  • ABA's Teacher's Guide to Classroom Activities for TDVAP: The American Bar Association has created a teacher's guide with ideas on how to raise awareness in any class.
  • Hope House's TDVAPM Church Bulletin Insert: Hope House has created a bulletin insert for churches to use in February.  Please let us know if you used it. For more resources on healthy relationships and dating violence for faith communities, please visit the Faith Trust Institute.
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from the Love Like This blog series
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from Break the Cycle
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from Break the Cycle