HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — February 2024 is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month. 

On Jan. 31, 2024 the President Joe Biden’s administration wrote that “during National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, we recommit to building a future where our Nation’s young people can live free from violence, fear, and abuse.” 

Transitions Family Violence Services in Hampton is working to help teens recognize unhealthy dating signs with art therapy, counseling, a teen support group, prevention programs, community education, school and community programs.

Transitions Family Violence Services Executive Director Sanu Dieng believes everyone deserves a relationship where they are treated equally — no matter the age.

“Teen Dating Violence is basically domestic violence among teenagers,” Dieng said. “We’re seeing it as early as the 6th grade. When they are exploring what relationships look like [and] feel like. We find a lot of times that they are modeling unhealthy relationships in their home, on social media [or] on reality TV.”

One-in-three teens experience teen dating violence. It can start as early as middle school and range from physical to mental abuse — or stalking.

Dieng said it’s important to talk with your child about what they are looking for in a relationship, and know that protective orders are available.

This month, local organizations are working to help teens recognize the red flags, asking the community to wear orange.

“It’s bright, it’s vibrant — you’re not going to miss this out in the community,” Dieng said. 

Since dating is not allowed for most teens, warning signs like possessiveness or isolation may go under the radar because the child is afraid to tell their parents.

“What’s most concerning for me, especially as a mom, is not knowing,” Dieng said. “[Teens] are hiding it and talking amongst each other and figuring out how they navigate through it, or they validate that it’s normal and it’s not.”

She added: “Often times, we’ll see acts of power and control on social media, and as we know with social media, you can’t reign some of that in, so then there is social shaming in schools then the bullying.”

Dieng, along with other anti-violence agencies, held a press conference last week, to call on lawmakers to address funding concerns, explaining school education programs are often one of the first things cut back on. 

“Those are things that we were not able to have staff to do, and that is definitely impacting the children,” said H.E.R. Shelter President Olivia Smithberger. “That 11, 12, 13 age [range], they’re not having those discussions about what a healthy relationship looks like. That’s definitely impacting their ability as they get older to notice what those red flags are.”

The sister-shelters are still hopeful state leaders will pass the necessary bills to help families.

“If we’re not able to take care of the services that are necessary, we’re failing the next generation of children who are already crying out for help,” said YWCA CEO Michelle Ellis Young.

Later this month, on Monday Feb. 26, teens 14 to 18 are welcome to join a Teen Dating Awareness workshop from 4:30 until 6 p.m. You must RVSP by emailing jjackson@transitionsfvs.org by Thursday Feb. 22 for the location information.

“If we’re going to end domestic violence,” Dieng said, “it’s important that we don’t forget this piece, this prevention piece, getting to young people before they experience harm in a relationship.”