Please note: Entries within this blog may contain references to instances of domestic abuse, dating abuse, sexual assault, abuse or harassment. At all times, Break the Cycle encourages readers to take whatever precautions necessary to protect themselves emotionally and psychologically. If you would like to speak with an advocate, please contact a 24/7 peer advocate at 866-331-9474 or text “loveis” to 22522.
Creating a culture without abuse takes all of us. With one in three young people experiencing some form of dating abuse, it is essential that we take a serious step toward deconstructing unhealthy relationships, and our beliefs about them. Your voice matters, and getting involved is the first step to raising awareness about dating abuse and creating healthy relationships!
How exactly can you help? Respect Week 2015 — a part of teenDVmonth — is just around the corner, and couldn’t be easier to participate in. To celebrate, we want you to get out and wear your orange…for love! On February 10th, get as many people as you can at your school, office, or wherever you’ll be to wear something orange in honor of teenDVmonth.
By wearing orange, you’ll be showing your support for healthy relationships — and you can wear orange anything! Shirts, sweatshirts, pants, jackets, dresses, nail polish, hair ties, scarves, face paint, ribbons, jewelry, purses, backpacks, shoes, pins — you name it, wear it and you’ll be one of many across the country, who will be joining Wear Orange4Love Day.
If you can’t seem to rustle up something orange — or even if you can — spread the word! Share information about Wear Orange4Love Day on social media, email your friends, join our Facebook event, and ask everyone you know to spread the word to their networks.
Going to be in school? Ask to make announcements in class and to the school, post flyers in common areas, or host an Orange4Love t-shirt contest, where you challenge classmates to make original designs for prizes. You can also post flyers at your community center, or sell orange t-shirts in advance, and donate the proceeds to your local domestic abuse shelter or nonprofit.
For those who love a good selfie, take pictures on February 10th of everyone in their orange gear, and post about it online, whether on your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or sharing it to ours. Try saying something like, “I’m wearing orange today for healthy relationships!” Make sure to include the hashtag #RespectWeek2015 and #Orange4Love when you post, and show the rest of your friends, that you’re promoting healthy relationships with your orange outfit.
Remember, wearing orange shows your support, but talking about teen dating abuse is what will really help raise awareness of the event, and this important issue. By doing that, you’ll encourage others to talk about healthy relationships with young people in their lives! Plus, you’ll be sending the message to everyone you know that teen dating abuse is not okay.
We need your help, so make sure you wear your orange and talk about it! Because everyone deserves a safe and healthy relationship.