MONROE, La. (KTVE/KARD) — February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention month. One and three teens experience abuse in their relationships. Teen dating violence is a pattern of harmful controlling behavior an individual uses against their partner.
Valerie Bowman, the director of the domestic violence program for The Wellspring says they are working to bring awareness and educate parents on this issue. Bowman also shared some red flags to look out for in teen dating.
There is a lot of isolation, maybe their partner is trying isolate them from their friends and their family. You’ll also see that they are just a little bit too involved in their space, like maybe checking their cellphone for text messages, looking at their e-mails; maybe stalking their social media page. You’ll also see that often times they would be jealous or possessive of that person.
Valerie Bowman Director of Domestic Violence Program for The Wellspring.
Bowman also encourages parents to be supportive, have an open mind and listen to their teens. She also says the teens should know they are not alone, and they can reach out for help if they need it.
