February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month

This February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month (TDVAPM). Data shows why it’s important to focus on preventing sexual, intimate partner, and dating violence from a young age: many people who have experienced intimate partner violence experienced their first victimization before age 18.

We also know that prevention works, and prevention works best when starting young and engaging youth voices and youth leaders. PreventConnect was recently featured on a video for the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, where the impactful work to center youth leadership and expertise in ending sexual and domestic violence across the field had the spotlight.

That video was filmed a few short months ago, and since then, youth leaders and the organizations who support them have continued to develop innovative approaches, campaigns, and events to push prevention further. The Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence released their TDVAPM 2019 campaign: We Choose All Of Us. Posters and campaign materials challenge the systems of oppression that uphold violence and to inspire a transformative culture shift where everyone can thrive.

This February is a time to build momentum to prevent teen dating violence and (re)center youth and teens in the movement to end sexual and domestic violence. Youth and teens are not just future leaders, they are current leaders, and centering their leadership and activism this TDVAPM and beyond will bring the prevention to greater heights.

Follow along with the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and join the social media TDVAPM conversation using #1Thing.