HOLLAND (WHTC-AM/FM) — Dating violence causes significant and long-lasting trauma to countless individuals throughout the United States.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is urging all Michiganders to educate themselves, and she’s declared February as Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month.
Dating violence typically includes a pattern of physical, emotional, sexual, psychological, and/or economic coercion and abuse to control their partners. This threat can affect people regardless of their religion, culture, gender, sexuality, economic or social status, according to state officials.
Whitmer, the mom of two teen girls, said in a statement emailed to media, reminding people the state has ah Division of Victim Services as a section of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services office, which advocates for victims. Nearly 1.5 million high school students in the U.S. are physically abused by dating partners every year. But only 33 percent of victims ever report the abuse. Forty three percent of college women and 28 percent of college men report experiencing either abuse or controlling behaviors in a dating relationship.
You can call the toll-free Teen Dating Abuse Helpline -866-331-9474 or text “loveis” to 22522.In this part of Michigan, one resource in the greater Holland area is Resilience, resiliencemi.org.
To find a local domestic violence or sexual assault program provider near you, visit the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence provider directory. LGBTQ+ youth in crisis can reach out to The Trevor Project 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386 or text/chat at www.thetrevorproject.org/help.
