Thank you, Rachelle Ayala for hosting me on your site today.
I am honored to be here and talk about teen dating abuse.
February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness month. The
statistics are alarming. 1 in 3 teens experience some form of abusive
relationship. Over half of all rape victims report being raped before the age
of 25. Teens are at a higher risk of intimate partner abuse than adults, yet
more than 75% of all victims will not report it and more than 80% of adults do
not feel like teen dating abuse is a problem. (facts from loveisrespect.org)

Abuse can be in the form of emotional/verbal abuse,
stalking, financial abuse, sexual abuse, digital abuse, as well as physical.
Some signs of abuse include (but are not limited to):
Constantly checking in, lying, not letting you talk to others of the opposite
sex even if they are just friends, partner threatening to hurt self, loss of
temper quickly, embarrassing you, forcing sex, keeping you away from friends,
checking messages/texts/phone/email. You should feel comfortable, happy, and
safe in a relationship. Love is about friendship and respect, not abuse, fear
or control.
Dating abuse knows no boundaries. It runs across all race,
gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, nationality, geography, age
and social-economic lines. No one is above it. No one is immune to it. And no
one deserves to be abused.
If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship,
know that there are many ways to get help. First make sure you or your friend
is safe. Don’t isolate self or allow friend to become isolated. Get in touch
with a trusted organization such as loveisrespect.org, thehotline.org, datingabusestopshere.com,
or clotheslineproject.org. These organizations have professionally trained
staff to listen, understand, and help. Other places to get help
include—religious leaders, coaches, school nurses, teachers, school counselors,
doctors, or other health professionals. Find a support system. Get legal help.
Rape, harassment, and assault are illegal.
It is important to stand up and speak out about dating
abuse. Please join me this month and every month in raising awareness on this
devastating issue of teen dating violence.
For more information please go to
loveisrespect.org,
call 1-866-331-9474 or text “loveis” to 77054
Rebecca Green Gasper is the author of Break From You, a
young adult contemporary novel that centers on the issue of teen dating abuse.
It is a story about love and loss, heartache and romance. Synopsis—Love shouldn't hurt this much... Brooke
Myers wants to believe she has it all: the perfect guy, the perfect
relationship, the perfect life. She wants to believe it so much that she's
willing to overlook the fear, the isolation, and the pain her boyfriend has
caused her. She knows it isn't right but tells herself that love isn't always
easy. However, when a fire destroys the
restaurant during homecoming dinner, she forms an instant bond with the boy who
saves her, one her boyfriend wouldn't like. With the pain of a concussion reminding
her of how bad things can get, she is forced to re-evaluate the relationship
she has with her boyfriend and face the ghosts that haunt her. Brooke once
believed love was all it took...but is it enough? Is it truly love when you've lost yourself in
it?
Enter to win a book by Rebecca and 4 other authors!
Thank you so much for hosting me today. It is such a pleasure to be on your blog, talking about teen dating violence and raising awareness. Best:)
ReplyDeleteVery wel said, Rebecca. Agree that awareness and reporting are the two best weapons in this battle. So much of this kind of abuse is hidden or mislabeled.
ReplyDeleteThanks:)
DeleteIt is so important to speak up and get help!
I found your great blog through the WLC Blog Follows on the World Literary Cafe! Great to connect!
ReplyDeleteThe stats are sad and scary. Have you heard from readers that the book has helped them?
ReplyDelete