Thousands of people experience domestic violence every day. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, “An average of 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States….” 

Domestic violence and abuse can include physical, emotional, sexual and financial abuse, or other forms of coercion. Abusers create dangerous situations that make it very hard for their victims to escape. For youth, being a victim of, or witnessing, acts of domestic violence are traumatic experiences that can affect their mental and behavioral health.  

During National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, help raise awareness of domestic violence. Make your program a safe space for youth and incorporate the topic of healthy relationships into your Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (APP) programming. 

Awareness, education, and prevention can help break the cycle of domestic violence. 

Get Involved 

• Post the number for the U.S. Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233) somewhere visible to youth. Save the number to your phone in case you ever need to share it. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.  
• Check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s teen dating violence prevention program to learn how grantees are addressing youth violence in the real-world.