Written by Isa Riano, Advertisement Manager
In light of February being Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, Saint Leo University faculty encourages students to be aware of campus resources, such as free counseling, that can help them overcome challenging situations. Follow along to learn more about this topic and what you can do to raise awareness and support survivors.
Unfortunately, it can be very challenging to talk about dating violence.
“This is a taboo topic,” Emma Manley said, the assistant director of counseling services. “It often goes unreported because of a fear of losing friends, or because the person does not know they are in an abusive situation.”
For teens with disabilities, it may be even harder to speak up.
“Teens with disabilities may not have a safe person to speak up to,” Mia Perez said, the assistant director of accessibility services.
Sometimes, it can also be challenging for friends and relatives to report cases of dating violence.
“Friends might think they will harm the friendship with either the person or the perpetrator,” Manley said.
The truth is that dating violence is an all-encompassing term, and it includes physical, emotional, verbal, sexual and psychological abuse.
“Any kind of unwanted contact or treatment when dating is considered violence,” Manley explained.
However, young people may not be aware that their partner is stepping over their boundaries, and when they learn about the abuse they are experiencing, they will have visible and invisible scars.
“In a dating violence relationship, the perpetrator brainwashed and gaslighted the person into changing her/his/their beliefs to the ‘No one else knows your value except me’ premise.” Manley said.
Therefore, survivors of dating violence may struggle with their self-esteem and trust again. However, they can rewrite their story.
“It is important for survivors to be patient with themselves, surround themselves with a supportive network, and be aware of their triggers,” Manley said.
When having advocacy programs, it is very important that their resources are inclusive to vulnerable populations.
“Advocacy treatments must be accessible to teens with physical and mental disabilities,” Perez said.
At Saint Leo University, there are multiple resources for students who have experienced these situations and need support. These include the Counseling and Prevention Center Office, located on the second floor of the Wellness Center and the Title IX office, which is helpful for students to file reports. This office is located in the Benedictine Hall, third floor, room 321. Another resource is Green Dot, which students can find on Instagram as @greendotleo.
With February being almost over, let us continue to raise awareness on teen dating violence and learn about this topic with all the resources available on campus.
