Title
Joint Proclamation Declaring February 2026 Teen Dating Violence (TDV) Awareness and Prevention Month
Action
ACTION:
Adopt a proclamation designating February 2026 as Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County
Staff Contact: Alex Pyun, Community Support Services, Social Services Supervisor (980-314-8944)
Presentation: Yes
BACKGROUND/JUSTIFICATION:
Among Charlotte-Mecklenburg high school students who responded to the Youth Risk Behavior Survey in 2019, 9% reported being physically hurt by someone they were dating or going out with one or more times in the past 12 months. LoveSpeaksOut surveys in 2026 found that out of 229 CMS students who were polled about abusive relationships, 90 (39.3%) disclosed that they are either currently or have previously been in an unhealthy or abusive relationship. After completing a LoveSpeaksOut teen dating violence education workshop, 96% felt they could more easily recognize warning signs of abusive relationships and 85.6% felt they gained important information about community resources for dating abuse. According to the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Survey in 2021, 1 in 12 U.S. high school students (who were currently dating) experienced physical dating violence and 1 in 10 experienced sexual dating violence. Violent, unhealthy, or abusive relationships can have negative effects such depression, anxiety, tobacco/drug/alcohol use, bullying, physical violence, and suicidal thoughts. Youth who experienced teen dating violence are more likely to be victims of dating violence later in college and adulthood (Smith, White, Holland, 2003). The CDC recommends prevention by building healthy relationship skills among youth, managing feelings and communicating in healthy ways, changing social norms, and improving community responses/building protective environments to address risk and protective factors for dating violence. Recognizing Teen Dating V...
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