February: Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
Hello everyone!
February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, which I am proud to say will be recognized here on 7 Cups. This is an incredibly important topic; this becomes clear the moment you here some of the shocking information about teen dating violence. Dating violence is important to recognize regardless of who it happens to, but the effect it has on teens is so huge, and the lack of support in society for teens facing dating violence has created this horrible stigma surrounding the topic. When 1 in 3 young people will be in an unhealthy relationship, this is extremely significant.
For those who don't know, dating violence can happen to anyone in a romantic or sexual relationship. While the word violence can make you think that this is only physical abuse, this is not the case. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describe teen dating violence as "physical, sexual, psychological, or emotional violence within a dating relationship" (details here).
Throughout the month, you will be able to get involved in a number of ways. I'll be posting in this thread to alert people of discussions and forum posts, so I highly recommend subscribing to this thread. You can also look to the following places over the next month for ways to participate:
Feed:
1. Use the hashtag #TeenDVAwareness to share your stories, post facts, and provide support.
Forum:
1. Look at what @Annie and the Literature Club are doing here!
2. See how you can tie Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month into your work with the forum team by reading the lovely post from @MonBon here!
3. Post in the Teen Dating Violence Support Forum!
4. Learn more about what Teen Dating Violence is here!
5. Discover some of the characteristics that can be used to identify healthy and unhealthy relationships here!
Chatroom:
Teen Listener Discussion: Supporting Members Facing DV lead by @RebeccaEmily on February 12th at 3 PM EST in the Teen Listeners Room.
Teen Member Discussion: Respect in Relationships lead by @Eunoia and @YayyySphere on February 21st at 7:30 AM EST in the Guided Discussion Room.
I hope that together, we can give this cause the recognition it deserves. If you've been affected by teen dating violence before, I hope you feel comfortable coming to us for support, because you are very welcome in our community.
Keeping Up With Events Taglist: @Ace13 @AffyAvo @Alexa28 @alexlove @Ali @aLIEz @allTheLove @Alwaysbelieve8 @Always25 @AkankshaP @AmityAllecra19 @AmyAmelia @Andrea50 @Anggi @Anushka1 @ArmyWife09 @AshlynHeart27 @Amalovespurple @awesomeandy @azureJar7737 @beccaboo98 @bipolarhedgehog @BharadwajS @Briana98 @brilliantshoe @buttonedprincess @Cadence @calmcloud92 @calmHemlock64 @calmingwaves12 @Celaeno @CelestiaStar @Charli @Cheeney @cherishedJet13 @Chevy81 @Chiara900 @Chuckster808 @CoffeeTeaAndHonesty @colibri @ColourfulClarity @Comfortingbubbles @convivialOwl6405 @CrimsonPlum47 @cristiana33 @DancingAlong @DHawks @Dillion @Eunoia @earthwalker3 @Em @enchantingpiano80 @EthanisBae @Evangelinelover @EverGreenLives @FromTheAshes @FruityloveBubbles11 @Gentlekitefly @Georgie4 @givemelove @glisteningTree50 @glowingpeace18339 @GracefulLove @gracey @guidingMusic @flowerCity2047 @happynappy @HelpfulPanda8034 @Herequeerandcheering @HopefulRainfall @ihope @ih0pe @ihope4ever @Ila @IreKat @isthisreallylife @itsallthesame @ItWillBeOkaySarah @JelayMe @JLCsmile @JohnnyM @justkeepsmiling26 @JustMe11 @Justhere2listn @Kash216 @Kaylee @kikapika @kindDreamer50 @Kingsley179 knowledge57 @KRNGRFL @lauradxox @Lee @Letmehelpyou210 @Lilylistens @liveforareason @LovedSoul92 @lovelyOcean54 @LowKeyNostalgia14 @Lulu2015 @mangocat24 @mahoganyecho @MarianaFilipaSouza6 @MaskedMonsters @me @MelAllyouneedislove @MidniteAngel @mikaelaap @mimameid @mistergreeneyes @Mizpah @mobbsy @mscoxie @NewRomantic677 @Oli1981 @OneCardShort @OneLove87 @OrangeSlices @OutAndThrough @Param @pandamars08 @Pbob @Pboob @peacefulSoul8 @PiquedPiper @politeocean93 @politeParadise57 @pray4theheartless @Priti @QueenKyKy @QuickJazz @Raylen @rationalApple577 @RebeccaEmily @Renaenae @ResilientLucky @ridearainbow @RocketsMom @Rycochet @sassypanda @ShadowFaerie @SimonTheGr8 @SingingForAbsolution @Spes @sprout92 @StarFlower @starryKoala69 @StormDancer @Stormwatcher @Styllista82 @SunshineCat @Sydney @s12 @TheBlueBird @TheBlueWind @TheLoreWriter @trisjlistens @unsinkablespirit312 @UrielAngel2015 @WarmHeart22 @wonderfulolive @wonderfulPumpkin71 @vivelespatates @Vixiana @YayyySphere @yzzil1 @ZaraSmiles @zeldabelle @ZizyTheTurtle @221Skye @2015ihope @2genpoet @MayaRainbow2 @CoffeeDrinker247 @Harquinn909 @Annie @obscureSam (add/remove yourself here!)
Sounds awesome, Becca :)
Whatever I can do to help I will. :)
Holy shit that blew my mind. I literally had NO idea this was so common. Way to screw with my world view even more.
Honestly though I find such numbers scary. My thoughts go out to any who have suffered this.
What can I do to help?
So if we want to share our story or show support, we post to our feed and tag it with #TeenDVAwareness correct? Sorry if it's a stupid question, my brain has been a little off lately
@xx3mber5kyxx not a stupid question at all! That's exactly what you'd do 
@RebeccaEmily Thank you!
👍
I've just updated the main post with upcoming discussion information, as well as a new forum post about teen dating violence (which you can find here).
Thanks to everyone for their support with this observance month! We've already helped many people, and I'm hopeful that we can keep it up.
Dealt with this myself in the past, and I think too many have maybe without even realising so thank you!