WARSAW—Every February marks the beginning of Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month. The Beaman Home is promoting TDVAPM as a means of discussing and decreasing teen dating violence.

Teenage dating violence often goes unreported. Only 33 percent of teenagers who have been in a violent relationship tell someone about the abuse. Being a teenager is confusing enough without dealing with a violent dating relationship.

According to loveisrespect.org, one in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner; and one in ten high school students have been purposefully hit, slapped or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend. Girls and young women between the ages of 16 and 24 experience the highest rate of intimate partner violence, almost triple the national average among female victims of intimate partner violence.

To further emphasize the importance of TDVAPM, the second Tuesday of each February is Wear Orange 4 Love Day. This will fall on Feb.13 this year. The idea behind the day is for people to wear orange in support of TDVAPM and use #Orange4Love Day to share the story behind their orange clothing and the meaning of the month itself.

If you are suffering from the trauma of domestic violence or sexual assault or abuse, please call The Beaman Home’s Toll Free 24/7 Crisis Hotline at (877) 725-9363.