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Teen Dating Violence Awareness
Month
February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month! Teen DV Month (sometimes called TDVAM)
is a national effort to raise awareness about teen dating violence, promote healthy teen
relationships and promote strategies that prevent and address teen dating violence.
Why Get Involved?
Dating violence is more common than many people think. One in three teens in the U.S. will
experience physical, sexual or emotional abuse by someone they are in a relationship with
before they become adults.1 The good news is dating and domestic violence can be prevented.
We need your help to spread awareness about dating abuse and to let everyone know that they
deserve a safe and healthy relationship.
When February ends it doesn’t mean you should stop talking about dating violence. It’s an
important issue all year long, so keep raising awareness and let your community know that
everyone deserves a healthy relationship!
What Will You Find In This Toolkit?
The toolkit was created to inspire students and youth leaders around Santa Clara County to
actively and creatively promote messages about dating violence and healthy relationships in
their own communities. The toolkit includes tips and simple activities that youth and adults can
implement at their organization or school site to participate in Teen Dating Violence Awareness
Month this February. To access the Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month Toolkit, Love Is…
videos, fact sheet and more resources, visit SafeDatingSCC.org.
The toolkit is an adapted version of the Respect Week Guide, which was developed by the loveisrespect.org National
Youth Advisory Board.
All the materials are meant to be reproduced and shared.
1
Liz Claiborne Inc. and The Family Violence Prevention Fund. (2009) “Teen Dating Abuse 2009 Key Topline Findings.”
www.SCCPHD.org
Santa Clara County Public Health Department
976 Lenzen Avenue  San Jose  California  95126
(408) 792-5040
Learn the Facts
In order to raise awareness about dating violence and help prevent it, you need to know the
basics!
Dating violence can happen to anyone, regardless of age, race, class, gender, sexual
orientation or background.
Drugs and alcohol can affect a person’s judgment and behavior, but they do not excuse abuse
or violence.
Dating violence can be:
Physical: hitting, slapping, choking, kicking
Emotional/Verbal: putting you down, embarrassing you in public (online or off); threatening
you in anyway; telling you what to do or wear
Sexual: pressuring or forcing you to do anything sexual, including sexting; restricting access to
birth control
Financial: taking your paychecks; preventing you from working
Digital: sending threats via text, social media or email; stalking or humiliating you on social
media; logging into your social media accounts without permission; forcing you to share
passwords
Dating violence is common:
One in three teens in the U.S. has experienced some form of abuse by a dating partner.
Dating abuse affects around 1.5 million teens annually.
43% of dating college women report experiencing abusive dating behaviors.
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Tips For Raising Awareness
Social Media
Using social media is a great way to raise awareness. Take some time away from your daily
posts to and share something that will get your friends talking about healthy relationships. Your
voice matters!
Use these hashtags when you tweet, post to Facebook, or share photos on Instagram. We want
to see and hear about how you and your friends are promoting healthy relationships this
February:
#SafeDatingSCC
Use this hashtag to share photos, posts, and tweets of TDVAM activities in Santa Clara County
#RespectWeek2017
Use this hashtag to promote Respect Week (Feb. 13-17)
#Orange4Love
Use this hashtag for Wear Orange Day (Feb. 14)
#teenDVmonth
This is the official hashtag for Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, keep up with all
conversations that may use #TDVAM
Not sure what to post?
Don’t worry, we’ve got some ideas! Use the sample messages below:
1 in 3 teens experiences dating abuse. That’s 1 too many! Check out @loveisrespect for info & help
#teenDVmonth
I wear #orange4love because everyone deserves a safe and healthy relationship! #TDVAM
#SafeDatingSCC #RespectWeek2017
If you are questioning whether or not a relationship is abusive, you can chat with a SafeChatSV
trained advocate. Visit safechatsv.com to access the online chat system. #SafeDatingSCC
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Love Is… Videos
Share the Love Is… YouTube videos featuring teens from Santa Clara County who discuss dating,
relationships, and breakups. Use the video descriptions as a caption when you share the videos.
Friends First - Being friends first helps build the foundation for a
safe, healthy relationship.
Finding Common Ground - Compromising and having common
interests are steps to building healthy relationships.
How Do You Know? - If they cannot accept you for you, they must
not be that one.
Relationships Take Work - Dating isn’t always easy and sometimes
healthy relationships come to an end as life changes.
You can also follow and repost from the Santa Clara County Public Health Department
(SCCPHD) social media accounts:
Twitter: @HealthySCC
Instagram: @scc_publichealth
Facebook: Santa Clara County Public Health Department
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Tips For Raising Awareness
Encouraging Others To Get Involved
Know Your Message
The best way to encourage others to get involved is to fully understand the message you are
promoting. Rehearse your message, and write a cheat sheet if you’re going to be talking faceto-face to find out more information.
For example, your message might be:
“One in three teens in the U.S. experiences dating violence, and I think that’s one too many. I
believe that everyone deserves a healthy, safe and respectful relationship. February is Teen
Dating Violence Awareness Month, and I hope you’ll join me in raising awareness about abuse
and promoting healthy relationships. If you’d like more information about dating violence and
abuse, visit loveisrespect.org or safedatingscc.org.”
Involve your school or organization
Find a teacher, counselor, colleague or supervisor who will support your ideas/actions. Reach
out to school clubs and partner organizations. Request local organizations dedicated to
domestic and teen dating violence to provide training or educational workshops to your
students or staff.
Media Outreach and Policy
Publications and Public Service Announcements
Your school or organization’s newspaper/newsletter, social media, and public service
announcements can be powerful tools for reaching your youth, staff and community members.
Offer to write a short article or offer to share tips and information on building healthy
relationships and warning signs of dating abuse.
School Policy
If your school does not have a policy in place to address teen dating violence, talk to the
administration or school board about adopting one. For more information on school climate
policies, visit startstrong.futureswithoutviolence.org.
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Significant TDVAM Dates
Mark Your Calendars!
Respect Week: February 13 – 17
The loveisrespect National Youth Advisory Board created Respect Week as a special way for
young people to raise awareness during Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month in February.
Respect Week 2017 will be February 13 – 17.
Wear #Orange4Love Day:
February 14, 2017
On February 14th, get as many people as you can from school, work, in the community or your
place of worship to wear something orange to promote respect and healthy relationships. You
can wear orange shirts, nail polish, hats, scarves, hair ties or anything you can think of!
Promote #Orange4Love Day by creating and handing out orange ribbons or buttons that say
“Wear Orange 4 Love.” Ask for permission to hang posters, banners, or flyers in common areas,
bathrooms or on bulletin boards. Hold an assembly or staff meeting featuring a local
organization that provides resources and services related to teen dating violence. Team coaches
can ask their athletes to wear orange sweat bands, socks, or other orange items during their
games for Respect Week.
Post pictures on social media of you and your friends wearing orange and use the hashtags
#Orange4Love and #RespectWeek2017. Share why you’re wearing orange, like in these sample
messages:
This Valentine’s Day, wear #orange4love and spread the message that everyone deserves a
healthy relationship.
I wear #orange4love because everyone deserves safe and healthy relationships!
#RespectWeek2017
I wear #orange4love because dating violence impacts 1 in 4 teens each year. #RespectWeek2017
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National Respect Announcement:
February 17th
Celebrate the week of Valentine’s Day by helping all of your friends learn about healthy
relationships! Help distribute the National Respect Announcement in person or on social media
on Feb. 17, 2017. The goal of the announcement is to remind people that everyone deserves a
safe and healthy relationship!
There are a few ways to make your voice heard.
Join the Thunderclap: Sign up through Twitter or Facebook to join the Thunderclap at
thndr.me/4mXym0, which will automatically post an announcement to your social media
channels on Feb. 17. The more people who sign up, the greater the reach, so encourage friends
and family to join as well!
In Person: Get permission from your school’s administration to read the announcement during
the morning public announcements on Feb. 17. Read the announcement before each class
period or at your youth group or club meetings.
Visually: Create and post a flyer around campus, dorm bulletin boards, health offices or any
other place that people will see it. Remember to get permission and follow any guidelines
before posting.
National Respect Announcement
“With Valentine’s Day behind us, we’d like to remind you that everyone deserves a
safe and healthy relationship. Remember, love has many definitions, but abuse isn’t
one of them. If you or someone you know has a question about a relationship,
healthy or unhealthy, visit loveisrespect.org or text “loveis” to 22522.”
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TDVAM Activity Ideas
Everyone
Host an Information Table
Setting up a table with information and resources is an effective way to reach out to many
different communities – from teens, to parents to other adults. Here are some basic tips that
will help make your tabling activities a success.
Use information found throughout the toolkit or print out palm cards, handouts, and posters
from loveisrespect.org/resources/download-materials.
Print out speech bubbles (available on the next page) and write the words “Love is…” on them.
Have visitors to your table complete the sentence. You can use these speech bubbles later to
create an awareness display.
What Should I Say?
Memorize some information to share with people stopping by your table, such as:
One in 3 teens experiences some form of abuse in their relationships.
Abuse can be as visible as bruises or as subtle as name calling and controlling what a partner
wears.
Did you know that you can chat safely with a trained advocate online or by text? If you have
questions about your relationship, visit safechatsv.com or text, loveis to 22522 to receive free,
confidential help.
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Love is…
#SafeDatingSCC
Amor es…
#SafeDatingSCC
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More Activity Ideas
Middle & High School
Create an Awareness Display
Raise awareness about teen dating violence and healthy relationships by creating an awareness
display featuring teen dating abuse statistics, signs of a healthy or unhealthy relationship, ways
to help a friend, and resources.
Flyers and Posters
Print or create flyers, posters and banners to
pass out and hang up at your school, in the
community, place of worship, and
organization. Download materials from
SafeDatingSCC.org, loveisrespect.org and
Futures Without Violence.
Candy Grams or Valentine’s Day
Cards
Write or attach information of healthy
relationships and where to seek help if
your school sells candy grams or cards
during Respect Week.
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More Activity Ideas
Adult Allies
School Administrators, Staff and District Policy Makers
Participate in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Dating Matters 60-minute
online training to learn strategies to promote healthy teen relationships and prevent dating
violence.
Request a Healthy Teen Relationships workshop for a youth group or class. Contact Vanessa
Bolton, Health Education Associate at (408) 793-2787 or [email protected].
During a staff or board meeting, discuss incidents of teen dating violence on campus, what
educators can do if they suspect abuse, share resources, and review model school and district
policies developed by the national Start Strong: Building Healthy Teen Relationships Initiative.
Parents, Caregivers and Trusted Adults
Adults can play a powerful role in preventing teen dating violence and promoting safe and
healthy relationships. Visit the SafeDatingSCC for Adult Allies page to find ways to end dating
violence in your community.
It’s important to have an open and honest discussion about teen dating violence and healthy
relationships. Find the right moment to talk to your teen then start the conversation by asking
these 10 questions found in A Parent’s Guide to Teen Dating Violence.
Practitioners and Professionals
Provide safety cards, pamphlets and hang posters in patient exam rooms, waiting rooms,
lobbies, mobile clinics and bathrooms. Order or download materials from Futures Without
Violence and loveisrespect.org.
Implement Futures Without Violence’s Hanging Out or Hooking Up: Clinical Guidelines on
Responding to Adolescent Relationship Abuse, which that focus on preventing, identifying and
addressing adolescent relationship abuse and providing prevention messages about healthy
relationships.
Use the CDC’s Dating Matters Capacity Assessment and Planning Tool to assess and monitor the
capacity of local health departments, their school and community partners to implement a
comprehensive teen dating violence initiative. (Registration Required)
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Now What?
Respect Week and Teen DV Month are great times to raise awareness, but it’s important to
remember that dating violence is an issue all year long! What can you do to stay involved when
February is over?
 Download, print and distribute resources and materials from SafeDatingSCC.org or visit
loveisrespect.org/resources/download-materials
 Promote SafeDatingSCC.org and follow us on social media for info to share and repost
 Volunteer for a local domestic violence shelter or youth education program
 Create care packages for domestic and dating violence survivors and distribute them at a
local shelter
 Start or join a group at your school that focuses on dating abuse prevention.
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Recommended Resources
National and State Resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Division of Violence Prevention
VetoViolence is a comprehensive source for training, tips, and tools needed to launch or
enhance local prevention efforts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created
this tool to educate and empower communities to stop violence—before it happens.
vetoviolence.cdc.gov
Essential Access Health
Essential Access Health helps teens make healthy and informed decisions about their sexual and
reproductive health through a variety of teen outreach programs designed to meet them where
they are – online and on their phones – with medically accurate and teen-friendly information.
Essentialaccess.org/programs-and-services/teen-outreach
Futures Without Violence
Provides groundbreaking programs, policies, and campaigns that empower individuals and
organizations working to end violence against women and children around the world. Explore
Futures Without Violence Resources-including brochures, safety cards, posters, and more.
Futureswithoutviolence.org
Love is Respect
Highly-trained peer advocates offer support, information and advocacy to young people who
have questions or concerns about their dating relationships. Visit the resources page to access
the complete Respect Week Guide, handouts, posters, and other educational materials.
Loveisrespect.org
Start Strong - School Climate and District Policies
These model policies were created to prevent teen dating violence and abuse before it starts,
and were developed as models for school districts throughout the U.S. as part of the national
Start Strong: Building Healthy Teen Relationships Initiative.
Startstrong.futureswithoutviolence.org
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TeenSource.org
TeenSource.org is a teen-friendly website with youth-generated blogs, a clinic finder, birth
control and STD information, information on teen rights to accessing sensitive services in
California and more. Text "HOOKUP" to 877877 to get sex info and life advice sent to you every
week!
Teensource.org
That’s Not Cool
That’s Not Cool is a national public education initiative that partners with young people to help
raise awareness and bring educational and organizing tools to communities to address dating
violence, unhealthy relationships, and digital abuse.
Thatsnotcool.com
Santa Clara County Resources
Public Health Department - Violence Free Communities
When We All Play a Role in a Safe and Peaceful Community, we prevent violence. Visit
the Opportunities for Action page to find ways for youth and adults to play a role. Learn about
the We All Play a Role Campaign and other violence prevention resources.
Violencefreescc.org
County Executive’s Office - Office of Women’s Policy
Provides a list of domestic violence agencies in Santa Clara County. The Office of Women's
Policy partners with many local agencies that provide direct services to women and girls within
the county.
Sccgov.org/sites/owp/Pages/owp.aspx
The LGBTQ Youth Space
The LGBTQ Youth Space supports lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and
ally youth and young adults in Santa Clara County. We provide a safe space for young people to
develop their sexual and gender identities and empower them to realize their potential as
valuable members of the community.
Youthspace.org
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