February is Teen Dating Awareness Month. In an effort to help educate our Junior High students about dating violence and domestic violence, Mandy VanLaningham of Hope Crisis Center gave presentations to the students on February 8 and 10. Students learned that people are abusive because they want to be in control of someone else. The abuse forms can be verbal, emotional, sexual, physical, financial or through social media. Statistics show that 25-30% of women will be abused in their lives, but there really is no sufficient data on males. All types of people regardless of financial status, race or religion may deal with some type of abuse. Statistics also show that 1 in 3 teens know someone who has been in an abusive relationship. Students learned that if they know someone who has been abused, their job is to be a supportive listener. Individuals from the Hope Crisis Center also plan to chalk the front sidewalk of the high school to help bring awareness of the abuse that can happen. If anyone should need to contact the Hope Crisis Center their contact information is as follows: 1-877-388-HOPE (4673) or www.hopecrisiscenter.org.
