Holly’s House says one in three teens will experience teen dating violence in the U.S, annually. In Southern Indiana, the child advocacy center handles cases every week.
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEVV) — February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. On Tuesday, people nationwide wore orange as a visual form of awareness.
Officials with Holly’s House say they handle teen dating violence cases every week. The most common form the child advocacy group encounters is sexual abuse caused by other children, but the abuse could also be emotional, digital, or even physical.
Kristine Cordts, the executive director for Holly’s House, says some examples include, “Kids who take the steps to strangle another child. Somebody who cuts another child. And maybe it’s mimicking something they’ve seen online.”
There has been an uptick in cases since the COVID-19 pandemic, with officials attributing the increase to growing internet use among teens.
Cordts says the Wear Orange Campaign is meant to raise awareness of the dangers that can occur to a child when they enter relationships.
According to Cordts, abuse that happens early in development can lead to a list of future outcomes:
- PTSD
- Under-performance in school
- Mental and physical health issues
- Increased risk of teen pregnancy
- Increased risk of drug and alcohol usage
Cordts also says medical evidence shows that people who experience six or more traumatic experiences within childhood are more likely to die 20 years earlier than other people.
Holly’s House urges parents to begin conversations about the risks of teen dating with their children early.
“If you talk to them now before something is wrong, right? they’re more likely to talk with you later when something does happen, and they’re more likely to trust you,” says Cordts.
Holly’s House also has a website, braveboundaries.org, to help parents navigate the teen dating violence conversations with their children.
Officials do ask anyone aware that their child is being abused in a relationship to report it to Child Protective Services.
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