Love shouldn’t hurt; February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

LUFKIN, Texas (KTRE) - While lovers’ hearts are big on Valentine’s Day, one must remember the warning signs of a toxic relationship. February is not only the month of Valentine’s Day but also Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. According to the CDC, nearly 1 in 11 female and approximately 1 in 14 male high school students report having experienced physical dating violence within the last year.

Throughout February, organizations and individuals nationwide are coming together to highlight the need to educate young people about dating violence, teach healthy relationship skills, and prevent cycles of abuse. Stuart Burson, the Prevention Coordinator at the Family Crisis Center of East Texas, said one in three teen girls in the United States will be the victim of some sort of dating violence whether that is physical, verbal, or online abuse.

“One of the things that abusive partners will do is they’ll try to keep tight control over their partners, so are they letting your kid do things with their family? Are they letting them see other people? Are they spending maybe too much time with their boyfriend or girlfriend or significant other?” Burson said.

Burson said if a teen is concerned about being in an abusive relationship, he or she should tell a trusted adult. According to teen dating violence.org, more than two-thirds of victims never report their abuse.

“There’s other consequences as well; there’s higher rates of depression and eating disorders, and anxiety and stress and things like that that can all play a part. When you think of adults, it can definitely play a part in their work habits, and with students, it can definitely play a part in their progress in school,” Burson said.

One physical abuse tactic is called “love bombing,” a term used to describe someone who overwhelms you with affection, adoration, and gifts in order to gain control of your behaviors.

“Trust your gut instinct. If this person loves you and cares about you, they are going to treat you with respect. They’re going to understand that you sometimes will have other priorities in your life, and you may not always be able to spend all your time around them,” Burson said.

For more resources on what to do or who to contact if you are concerned for you or your child’s dating safety, you can call the Family Crisis Center’s toll-free hotline at 1-800-828-SAFE.