National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. This month provides a great opportunity for our community to raise awareness and take action to ending teen dating violence. One in three adolescent girls in the US is a victim of physical, emotional or sexual abuse from a dating partner. This violence has serious consequences like putting these teens at a higher risk for substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behavior, suicide and adult re-victimization.[1] Now is the time to take a stand against teen dating violence. This month please join the Poe Center for Health Education as we can work together to raise awareness.
A great resource for how you can help on an individual level is by going to teendvmonth.org. This website provides many great ways to take action like a toolkit with resources to distribute, a template to write a letter to a public official and weekly webinars in February with information about dating abuse and healthy relationships.
Also please join the Poe Center this Saturday, February the 15th from 10am until 2pm at our Teen Health Advisory Council Meeting. Make plans to get real and go deep with topics including how to build communication skills, all the facts on STIs/STDs, and managing your interpersonal skills. Get great advice from your peers and local experts from Wake Interact. Lunch and snacks will be provided.
Please follow this link to register: bit.ly/1iOP0xQ
The Poe Center currently offers the following programs in the Family Life Theater that discuss healthy relationships:
Puzzled by Puberty
Grade Level: 5th
Engage in an honest conversation regarding the physical, emotional and social changes that occur during puberty. Discuss the structure and function of the male and female reproductive systems, the menstrual cycle and fertilization. Interactive activities and an age appropriate movie reinforce important messages covered during the program.
Facts of Life
Grade Level: 6th – 8th
Review puberty and the male and female reproductive systems so participants can discuss the menstrual cycle, fertilization, implantation, fetal development and the birth of a baby. Sexually transmitted infections (including HIV/AIDS) are briefly introduced at the conclusion of the program. Interactive activities are utilized to reinforce program content.
Reproduction: Healthy Responsibility
Grade Level: 9th – 12th
Discuss and encourage the benefits of abstinence until marriage, while investigating the transmission, symptoms and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV/AIDS. Explore STI and pregnancy prevention methods including failure rates. Interactive activities, including the “Empathy Belly,” are utilized to reinforce program content.
To learn more about the Poe Center and our programs visit poehealth.org.
If you have questions or wish to schedule, please contact Kate at [email protected] or 1-866-402-4799 ext. 399!