As Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM) begins in February, Empower Yolo remains dedicated to promoting healthy and safe relationships among young people. Our campaign aims to raise awareness about teen dating violence while providing crucial prevention education and fostering healthy relationships. Throughout the month, Empower Yolo’s youth programs will host awareness initiatives to highlight these critical issues impacting teens in our community.
“Dating violence is more prevalent than many realize, particularly among teens and young adults,” says Daniela Talavera Rangel, Empower Yolo ASSETs Youth Programs Director. In the U.S., 1 in 3 teens will face physical, sexual, or emotional abuse in a relationship before adulthood. Additionally, nearly half (43%) of college-aged women report encountering violent or abusive behaviors in their dating relationships, see loveisrespect.org.
Empower Yolo’s TDVAM activities are centered at three local high schools, Woodland High School (WHS), Pioneer High School (Pioneer), and Davis Senior High School (DHS).
ASSETs (After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens) – Empower Yolo runs a year-round after-school program at WHS and Pioneer with students attending regularly. Throughout the year, ASSETs provides unique opportunities for teens to develop life and leadership skills. Each February, the ASSETs team raises awareness about healthy relationships as part of its commitment to prevention education, inviting all students to attend TDVAM events.
This year, ASSETs is excited to reopen its program at Pioneer. “The reopening of the Pioneer ASSETs program is an exciting milestone,” says Talavera Rangel. This program will create opportunities for after-school engagement, including academic tutoring, enrichment activities, and social-emotional development workshops.
“By fostering a supportive environment, the program will empower students to thrive both academically and personally. It is part of ASSETs’ broader commitment to addressing critical topics, such as healthy relationships, to prepare students for lifelong success. We’re very excited to be back at Pioneer High School to provide equitable services and resources for high school students across Woodland,” adds Talavera Rangel.
The ASSETs program at WHS and Pioneer, including our Knights Landing community, has organized engaging and educational activities in February for TDVAM. Some of the enriching programming includes:
- Week 1 (February 6th): Introduction to TDVAM, where students will learn about its importance and ways to promote awareness.
- Week 2 (February 13th): A Red Flags Workshop, focusing on identifying unhealthy behaviors and warning signs in relationships.
- Week 3 (February 20th): A Green Flags Workshop, highlighting the characteristics of healthy, supportive, and respectful relationships.
- Week 4 (February 27th): An interactive “In My Shoes” activity, encouraging empathy and understanding of others’ experiences.
Each session includes a raffle prize giveaway, with a grand prize opportunity for students participating in an interview during lunch.
Talavera Rangel discusses the importance of prevention education, “TDVAM and educating teens about healthy relationships and intimate partner violence helps build awareness. Many teens may not recognize the warning signs of unhealthy relationships or understand what constitutes abuse.” She continues, “Additionally, providing tools and knowledge helps students navigate relationships with respect and consent. There’s also a mental health impact as relationship issues can greatly affect teens’ emotional well-being, academic performance, and self-esteem. This teaches teens how to break cycles of abuse.” Early education can prevent unhealthy patterns from continuing into adulthood. “By teaching teens how to identify red and green flags, programs like ASSETs ensure they develop the skills to build respectful and supportive relationships,” says Talavera Rangel.
Empower Youth- At Davis High School (DHS) the Empower Youth Community Service Club serves over 100 student members. Throughout the year, club members help raise awareness about important issues and engage in service projects for Empower Yolo’s domestic violence safe house, providing fun and educational activities for child residents. In February, Empower Youth is dedicated to increasing awareness about dating violence among students on the school campus. The theme of their campaign will be in line with love is respect, a program of the National Domestic Violence Hotline that supports teens. The TDVAM 2025 theme will be “Respect That”, a concept and a call to action that highlights the importance of treating partners with dignity, listening to their viewpoints, respecting their boundaries, and valuing their autonomy by focusing on “respect.”
Some of the activities the club has planned for their TDVAM campaign include promoting Wear Orange Day on Tuesday, February 11 to raise awareness of teen dating abuse; an awareness presentation for its members; and creating and delivering Valentine’s Day cards/treats for safe house children.
“Teen dating violence is an important awareness month for teens because abuse and unhealthy behaviors are common in many high school relationships and most teens don’t know how to handle it when it happens to them. Raising awareness about these issues and fostering a supportive network of peers, family members, trusted teachers, and advisors can provide invaluable guidance and assistance, empowering teens to navigate their relationships safely and confidently,” says Izzy Churchward, Empower Youth President at DHS.
The community can help support local teens by 1) donating to Empower Yolo’s prevention education program to help us provide materials and educational programs at empoweryolo.org; 2) wearing orange on Tuesday, February 11 in support of Wear Orange Day to raise awareness about teen dating abuse; take a selfie and tag Empower Yolo on Facebook @empoweryolo, Instagram and Twitter @empower_yolo; 3) becoming a sponsor for TDVAM next year to help us engage the community and reach more youths; 4) spreading awareness: sharing resources, events, and information about teen dating violence on social media or within the community.
“Most importantly, parents and caregivers should talk to teens about boundaries, communication, and mutual respect in relationships. It’s important that teens have at least one trusted adult they can go to seek advice from, receive help, and who can advocate for them,” says Talavera Rangel.
Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month helps promote the message that love is not abuse, love is respect. If you or anyone you know is struggling, please reach out for help. There are many resources available including Empower Yolo’s crisis line at 530-662-1133 and Loveisrespect.org (the National Teen Dating Violence hotline) at 1-866-331-9474.
A huge thank you to our sponsors, Woodland Presbyterian Church and PGP International. Thank you for supporting prevention education and teens in our community.
By raising awareness about teen dating violence, offering prevention education, and promoting healthy relationships that encourage mutual respect and open communication, we can empower young people to navigate their relationships safely. Let’s continue to work together to provide education, create safe spaces, and connect youth with trusted mentors, helping them build meaningful connections that contribute to their happiness and success.