Grayson Crisis Center raises awareness for teen dating violence

SHERMAN, Texas (KXII) - Teen violence is a big problem. One out of every three teenagers is in an unhealthy relationship that can lead to devastating consequences.

February is teen dating violence awareness month.

While this month is associated with love, and matters of the heart, there’s a national push to protect the hearts of teenage girls, and boys, too.

Grayson Crisis Center’s Mikinze Vanherpen said there are signs that may indicate when a teenager is in an unhealthy or abusive relationship.

“A lot of teens will display that they’re anxious or depressed,” Vanherpen said. “They might start acting out themselves. They start to withdraw from family, friends, at school, and sports.”

Experiencing an unhealthy relationship as a teenager can have a long-lasting impact. So, prevention is key.

Technology adds to the problem. Some social posts normalize demeaning behavior and emotional violence, which is often overlooked when it comes to dating.

“That’s the number one form of violence whether it’s teens or adults,” Vanherpen said. “And that’s going to be humiliation, constant put downs, calling people names, being sarcastic. All of those pieces that start to degrade someone’s self esteem. And that really sets the trap for violence to be able to escalate into physical or sexual violence.”

More information can be found here or by texting “LOVE IS” to 22522.

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