FEBRUARY IS TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Jennifer Johnson
Office: 410-219-3947
Cell: 410-251-5379
FEBRUARY IS TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH
February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. The Wicomico County Health Department wants you to know that there’s a lot you can do as a parent to prevent teen dating violence and abuse.
Approximately 1 in 10 teens reports being physically abused by a boyfriend or girlfriend in the last year. One of the most important things that you can do is keep the lines of communication open with your children.
Take steps to make a difference:
- Be a role model: treat your children and others with respect.
- Start talking to your children about healthy relationships early, before they start dating.
- Get involved with efforts to prevent dating violence at your teen’s school.
- Call the National Dating Abuse Helpline at 1-866-331-9474 or text “loveis” to 77054, if you are worried about your teen.
You can help keep your love ones safe and healthy.
The Wicomico County Health Department has a program called Parents Matter!, an evidence-based prevention program for parents of pre-teens. This program is designed to enhance protective parenting practices and promote parent-child discussions about sexuality, sexual risk reduction and healthy relationships. In addition, this program is designed to help parents overcome common parent-child communication barriers and promote positive parenting skills.
For more information regarding teen dating violence and the Parents Matter! program, please call the Wicomico County Health Department at 410-334-3480, ext. 17489.