During the week of February 9-13, Teen Leadership Council sponsored activities for the week of respect. This week is part of TLC’s efforts to raise awareness related to teen dating abuse particularly during the month of February which is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month.
All week, TLC members shared important information about Teen Dating Abuse during morning announcements. One announcement was regarding clingy behavior disguised as care, explaining how constant texting, tracking someone’s location, or getting upset when a partner spends time with friends can be warning signs. TLC member Bailey Housel shared: “It is important to see the difference between healthy and toxic relationships, so everyone can stay safe and comfortable while discovering who they are and the type of partner they want.”
Additionally, teachers were invited to opt in to showing a short pre-recorded video presentation in their classes which defined and demonstrated what teen dating violence (TDV) can look like. TDV is defined as a “pattern of destructive behaviors that exert power and control over a dating partner.”
The video featured clips from the popular Netflix series “You” in which the main character Joe Goldberg (played by Penn Badgley) is clearly defined by his unhealthy and therefore abusive characteristics and actions. The video portrays him participating in stalking his victim’s social media platforms and stating things like “You want to be seen”. It also included a clip from “Twilight” where viewers see Edward Cullen (played by Robert Pattinson) telling Bella (Kristen Stewart) that he “feels very protective of her” as a response to how he knew of her whereabouts.
These media clips gave examples of one of the important messages club members want teens to learn. The message is that “pop culture has been guilty of romanticizing unhealthy relationships” and “it is important to draw attention to the unhealthy behaviors depicted by the characters shown on screen”. Bailey also added: “The media often portrays toxic relationships for drama and so the film industry can capitalize on the emotional roller coaster experienced by the audience, but teens should know that such toxic behaviors are not to be normalized.”
The club wants everyone to know that real respect includes things like “feeling safe, heard and valued” rather than “feeling anxious, ignored and disregarded.” TLC member Shane Reilly shared his thoughts: Through pop culture, teens can feel pressured to date at a young age. This can propel them into relationships they may feel they need but aren’t necessarily prepared for. One of the things TLC wanted to highlight with their advocacy is that it’s important to realize what you value in a relationship and what boundaries are important to you before you enter one impulsively. By spreading awareness for Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, TLC wanted to destigmatize toxic relationships and disprove the idea that you have to compromise your happiness just to be considered “cool” in high school for being in a relationship. They emphasized that clinginess and inconsistency in relationships are signs that you are not in a respectful relationship.”
TLC’s hard work of getting visibility for this important issue is propelled by statistics such as those by the National Teen Dating Abuse helpline that reports “1 in 10 high school students has experienced physical violence from a dating partner in the past year.” The helpline can be reached by calling 1-866-331-9474, texting “LOVEIS” to 22522, or chatting via loveisrespect.org.
Over the coming weeks, look for hearts hanging in the Freshman Y, the Senior Y, and the Science Atrium displaying positive messages of support, empowerment, and respect written by fellow students as a response to the week of respect.
