Teen Domestic Violence Awareness Month to Teach and Help
February is Teen Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a national effort in the United States to rise awareness for teens that have unhealthy, unsafe and abusive relationships.
With 33 percent of teens today in domestic abusive relationships, staff at Lamar are attempting to spread awareness in order to help other students and provide support to those in need.
“We want to help students to have a healthy relationship , to help them know if something is wrong and doesn’t feel right to come to me or Mrs. Jurgens about their situation, and for them to know that we are willing to help keep safe boundaries.” Family Transition Social Worker Cynthia Ward said
Through the awareness month, lessons will be taught and students will be able to show their support through the various themed days throughout the month. Through this, Lamar helps to create a healthier, more open space for the important conversation on what constitutes a healthy relationship.
“If we don’t treat one another well especially in intimate relationships where we are burying our inner most thoughts and feelings ,if we don’t feel safe we will shut our selves off from those kinds of relationships and those relationships are the true heart of life, that’s the meaning of life, is being able to connect with someone at level you can’t connect with someone else.” Principal Andy Hagman said.
Our support staff hope people will get a better idea of a healthy relationship , so they can be in happy relationships, to also help others that you see going through an abusive relationship as well.
“I hope that through having teen dating violence awareness week that it conveys to people on how important this topic is we don’t have a whole lot of specially dedicated weeks so if were doing this that must means it’s important which it is.” Hagman said
On the 21st of February our school is going to have a panel to know steps we can do to make a safe thing here at Lamar, there will be adults from the outside who have been through violence talking to teens during 9th period in the library.