DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  

This is the fourth week of “Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month” and Family Advocacy at Dyess Air Force Base used this month to help promote awareness to the horrific problem that is facing our teens in America.  This is not a new problem that we are just now facing in our communities, unfortunately Teen Dating Violence has occurred for many decades; and the problem is only getting worse.  The advancement of electronics and social media has made this issue one of the worst problems our teens face every day.  The Center for Disease Control for Teen Dating Violence Awareness states that teen dating violence is a significant problem affecting adolescents nationwide, but it is also one that is often overlooked or not recognized. This is why it is so important for communities to band together at all levels—from teens to parents to educators to community advocates—to raise awareness, support one another, and actively work towards preventing relationship abuse among teenagers. There are free resources for schools, social clubs, churches, local groups who want to get involved to help protect teens.  If you are an individual who wants to be involved in protecting our youth then please go online to some of these agencies and learn where you can help your community. Please feel free to call Family Advocacy at Dyess so we can help direct you in your search. Our number is 325-696-8378. 

Additionally, if you know of a teen or parent that could benefit from speaking to a caring, well-trained peer advocate, please connect them with the National Dating Abuse Helpline, a project of the National Domestic Violence Hotline, at 1-866-331-9474 (TTY: 1-866-331-8453), by texting "loveis" to 77054, or through live chat at loveisrespect.org.(link is external)

Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month | Youth.gov

Teen Dating Violence Awareness & Prevention Month | CDC Online Newsroom | CDC

Victim & Survivor Resources | Youth.gov

Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention | Info on Teen Dating Violence (teendvmonth.org)

• Dating Matters^®: Strategies to Promote Healthy Teen Relationships
  Dating Matters is a comprehensive teen dating violence prevention model developed by CDC to stop teen dating violence before it starts.

• Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH)
  CDC’s DASH works to promote environments where youth can gain fundamental health knowledge and skills, establish healthy behaviors for a lifetime, connect to health services, and avoid becoming pregnant or infected with HIV or STDs.

• Teen Dating Violence Infographic
  The infographic highlights the importance of healthy relationships throughout life.
• Veto Violence 
  CDC’s online source of free violence prevention training, tools, and resources.

Other Federal Resources:

• Youth.gov
  Youth.gov helps users create, maintain, and strengthen effective youth programs.

Hotlines:

• Love is Respect National Teen Dating Abuse Help
• Call 1-866-331-9474 or TTY 1-866-331-8453
• Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network’s (RAINN) National Sexual Assault Hotline
• Call 800-656-HOPE (4673) to be connected with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.
• Visit rainn.org to chat one-on-one with a trained RAINN support specialist, any time 24/7.

Additional Resources:

The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC)

NSVRC identifies and disseminates information, resources, and research on all aspects of sexual violence prevention and intervention.

PreventConnect
PreventConnect is a national project of the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault. The goal of PreventConnect is to advance the primary prevention of sexual assault and relationship violence by building a community of practice among people who are engaged in such efforts.

National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCVD)
The NRCDV has been a comprehensive source of information for those wanting to educate themselves and help others on the