Dating Violence

Today I’m speaking to you about a subject that I sincerely wish we didn’t have to address, but we must. The issue is teen dating violence. The CDC reports that dating violence is a widespread issue with serious long and short term effects. Approximately one-third of high school students report being hit, slapped, verbally abused, or physically hurt on purpose by a boyfriend or girlfriend in the last twelve months. However, many teens are afraid to report victimization to family and friends. Dating violence can be physical, emotional, or sexual in nature, with social media feeding the opportunity to stalk and harass. Parents, this is a topic we need to broach with our kids as they grow up and move through adolescence. By modeling a marriage filled with God-honoring mutual respect we can set the bar for the standards our kids will live out and embrace as they grow up. Teach them that a relationship is not about what one will get, but about the self-sacrificing love one endeavors to give.