Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
Jane Straub, CornerHouse Training Director
CornerHouse Children’s Advocacy Center, 2026
Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM) is a national initiative dedicated to educating young people about healthy relationships, preventing abuse, and raising awareness about the prevalence and impact of teen dating violence. TDVAM also uplifts survivor voices and reminds young people that they are not alone.
Nearly one in three teens experience some form of dating abuse before reaching adulthood, and almost 10% of high school students report experiencing physical dating violence within a single year. Teen dating violence can take many forms, including physical, sexual, emotional, verbal, financial, and digital abuse, such as stalking, harassment, and sextortion. The impact of dating violence is significant and long-lasting, often affecting a young person’s self-esteem and confidence, mental health—including increased risks of depression and suicide attempts— academic performance, and their ability to build healthy future relationships.
Healthy relationships start with awareness, respect, and support. Together, we can help prevent teen dating violence and empower young people to build safe, healthy connections. One way to connect is by creating conversations.
Here are a few conversation starters for parents, educators or youth serving organizations:
Healthy Relationships
• “What do you think makes a relationship feel safe and healthy?”
• “How should people treat each other when they disagree?”
• “How do you know when a relationship is helping you grow—or holding you back?”
Consent
• “What does consent mean to you, and what does it look like in real life and/or on-line?”
• “How can someone say ‘no’ without using that exact word?”
• “What should someone do if they feel unsure or pressured?”
Respect & Boundaries
• “What does respecting someone’s boundaries look like?”
• “How can you tell if someone isn’t comfortable—even if they don’t say it?”
• “Is it okay for someone to check your phone or passwords? Why or why not?”
Red Flags & Safety
• “What behaviors do you think are warning signs in a relationship?”
• “What’s the difference between caring and controlling?”
• “Who would you talk to if something didn’t feel right?”
Empowering & Supportive
• “What would you want a trusted adult to do if you shared something hard?”
• “How can we make sure people know they’re not alone?”
• “What advice would you give someone who feels pressured in a relationship?”
Tips for the Conversation
• Listen more than you speak
• Avoid judgment or lectures • Normalize asking questions
• Remind adolescents that help and support are always available
CornerHouse is proud to offer a one-hour, empowering, and interactive workshop designed to equip participants with practical tools to support children’s safety and well-being. This workshop helps attendees identify and respond to concerns and potential threats, engage in meaningful conversations with children about body safety, implement and reinforce effective safety strategies, create and maintain healthy boundaries, and address important issues related to online safety.
Interested in learning more?
Contact Stephanie Linskens, Prevention Education Coordinator, at stephanie.linskens@childrensmn.org and visit our website at https://www.cornerhousemn.org/preventing-abuse
Additional Resources:
National Sexual Violence Resource Center: https://www.nsvrc.org/blog_post/teen-datingviolence-prevention-resources-2025-update/ Love is Respect: https://www.loveisrespect.org/ Break the Cycle: https://www.breakthecycle.org/ Futures Without Violence: https://futureswithoutviolence.org