Keeping your teens safe; Fathers an untapped resource
February is best known as the month we celebrate love.
But it’s also Teen Dating Violence Awareness month, a time to recognize the potentially dark side of young relationships and promote positive solutions.
One in four adolescents report they have been the victim of verbal, emotional, physical or sexual violence.
One in five girls and one in 10 boys in high school report they have been the victim of physical or sexual violence, according to a 2018 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
And 43% of college women report experiencing violent and abusive dating behaviors.
What is teen dating violence?
According to the CDC, teen dating violence includes physical violence, sexual violence, psychological aggression, stalking and also violence that can take place “electronically,” through texting or sharing photos without the subject’s consent.
The consequences of dating violence are real: Teens can suffer from anxiety or depression, engage in unhealthy behaviors (drinking, tobacco use) or have thoughts of suicide.
The Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (#2020TDVAM or #1thing) campaign focuses on empowering parents to teach their children how to build healthy relationships.
Fathers are too often overlooked as a vital resource in addressing teen dating violence, no matter the child’s gender.
Studies have shown that fathers being present as a positive role model can have profound effects on children.
Pre-teen boys especially need appropriate modeling behavior before they enter the dating arena. But so too for girls who need guidance, awareness and self-confidence as they begin to navigate the murky waters of intimate relationships.
Father-child interaction promotes a child’s physical well-being, perceptual ability and competency for relating with others, writes the healthy families nonprofit, First Things First – exactly what a child entering adolescence needs to avoid being a victim of teen dating violence.
DAD PRO TIPS
The Dads’ Resource Center Executive Director Jeff Steiner says there are some ways dads can be the best father for their child when it comes to addressing teen dating violence:
1. Be a role model: How you act toward women will greatly influence both how your son acts toward women and the norms your daughter develops about the men in her life. Treat women with respect and dignity in all ways and at all times.
2. Be supportive of your children to help build up their self-esteem and self-confidence.
3. Educate yourself on dating abuse. Loveisrespect.org has good information on the different types of dating abuse.
4. Talk to your children about setting appropriate boundaries in every relationship.
5. Educate your children on how to achieve healthy relationships. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a Dating Matters page that has strategies Matters page that has strategies to promote healthy teen relationships.
About Dads’ Resource Center
The Dads’ Resource Center was founded by Dr. Joel N. Myers, AccuWeather founder and chief executive officer in 2015.
Its mission is to provide education, resources and advocacy for single fathers so they are able to fulfill their vital role in the well-being and healthy development of their children.
At its heart, the Dads’ Resource Center is a children’s advocacy organization that aims to ensure that each child has the appropriate involvement and contributions from both of their parents.
