February is “Teen Dating Violence Awareness” month. It’s a national campaign that wants to get teens talking about healthy relationships, but also how to recognize abusive ones. The YWCA told KHQ that 1 in 3 adolescents, that are dating, are experiencing some sort of dating violence, and a lot of these young people don’t know who to talk to about it. Advocate, Jessi Taylor, said she wants to hear their story, and get them help.
“I’ve had young teenagers tell me that they felt like there was nothing that they could do about the abuse they were going through, because their abuser lived with them, and it was someone that they cared about,” Taylor said.
Taylor said the majority of adults (81%) don’t believe that teen dating violence is an issue, but she’s hoping to change that. The YWCA is asking for anyone who’s 13 to 19 to write them and share a personal story of an unhealthy relationship. You can keep it anonymous if you’d like. The YWCA said they’re doing this not only to let people’s voices be heard, but to show adults what kids are experiencing in Spokane.
The letters will be going out to parents and teachers who can help influence young people on how to handle these situations. If you know a young person going through dating violence, or maybe it’s yourself, email jessit@ywcaspokane.org
