advertisements
News
Local News
Posted: Feb 19, 2024 9:39 AMUpdated: Feb 19, 2024 9:39 AM
Ray of Hope: National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
Tom Davis
Dating violence is more common than you may think, especially among teens and young adults: 1 in 3 U.S. teens will experience physical, sexual, or emotional abuse from someone they’re in a relationship with before becoming adults. And nearly half (43%) of U.S. college women report experiencing violent or abusive dating behaviors.
Appearing on COMMUNMITY CONNECTION, Ben Ames and Yoci Clayburn with Ray of Hope Advocacy Center presented some of these alarming stats. Yoci reminded everyone that each February, young adults and their loved ones nationwide raise awareness about teen dating violence through Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM). This annual, month-long effort focuses on advocacy and education to stop dating abuse before it starts.
If you need help, please call the Ray of Hope 24-hour hotline at 918.214.8886.
Ray of Hope Advocacy Center is an Oklahoma Attorney General certified program, offering comprehensive intervention and prevention services to men, women, and children affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking in Washington, Nowata, and portions of Osage County.
If you are in immediate danger or in a life-threatening situation, please call 911.
RAY OF HOPE'S PHILOSOPHY
All persons have the right to live without fear, abuse, oppression, violence, and child abuse. There should be equality in relationships and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking should be helped to assume power over their own lives. Survivors should be treated with dignity and respect; all people involved in violent crimes are affected – victims, children, families, partners, friends, the community, and perpetrators. Offending is a choice, and perpetrators of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking are solely responsible for their behavior, and they should be held accountable for their behavior. Coordinated community response is the best approach to eliminating domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking in Oklahoma; intervention and services shall be based upon the safety and well-being of individuals and communities. Services shall be provided in a non-judgmental, voluntary, non-coercive manner and take place in a safe, trauma-informed environment. Services should encourage self-determination, autonomy, physical and emotional safety, and provide information that will enable independence. Services shall respect cultural diversity by recognizing the spectrum of differences that exists among groups of people with definable and unique cultural backgrounds. Services shall be delivered from an approach that recognizes the impact of trauma and acknowledges the role of trauma in the lives of victims/survivors and their dependents.
« Back to News
