The New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence to Launch Statewide Campaign During Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

Press Contact: 
Madison Lightfoot
248-342-0361

January 30, 2017

Concord, NH –This February high schools across NH will participate in the first ever statewide teen dating violence awareness project. Granite State RESPECT Week was developed by the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (NHCADSV) and its 13 member programs and will run from Monday, February 13th through Friday, February 17th. The need for a teen-centered campaign is evident as Loveisrespect reports that 1 in 3 adolescents in the U.S. are a victim of physical, sexual, emotional, or verbal abuse from a dating partner and according to the 2015 New Hampshire Youth Risk Behavior Survey, up to 20% of New Hampshire youth experience teen dating violence.
Goals of Granite State RESPECT Week:

• Raise awareness about teen dating violence
• Connect teens to support services
• Promote healthy relationships
• Foster a culture of respect in high schools across New Hampshire.

Teens throughout NH have helped to design this project and are enthusiastic to help launch the campaign next month. “RESPECT Week is an opportunity for high school students to add their voice as to how we need to treat each other,” said Kingswood High School student-athlete Burke Ruel. As a student-athlete, Burke has used this project to mobilize NH high school athletes to stand together in raising awareness about teen dating violence. “Athletes never walk away from a challenge and that’s why I’m asking all athletes from around the state to join me working to end teen dating violence and participate in Granite State RESPECT Week,” said Ruel.

NH teachers are energized to take action and excited about the opportunity to participate in this project. “We want to empower students to make healthy choices and we are excited for our student body come to come together for a week filled with respect,” said Leslie Barrie, a physical education and health teacher at Concord High School. “Concord High School is excited about implementing Granite State RESPECT Week!  RESPECT Week takes our health class curriculum and makes it a schoolwide initiative,” Barry shared.

Each day of Granite State RESPECT Week has an identified theme, school-wide activities, and social media challenges to engage teens in important conversations around healthy and respectful relationships. Additionally, each day emphasizes the resources available to students, including the crisis center in their area that collaborates with schools to provide age-appropriate prevention education and confidential support services to teens in need of help. Schools and students are encouraged to share their Granite State RESPECT Week experiences widely using #RespectWeekNH. This hashtag will be used in daily social media challenges to award prizes and recognize students across the state for their efforts in raising awareness about teen dating violence.
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NH High Schools committed to participate in Granite State RESPECT Week 2017:

• Dover High School
• Concord High School
• Oyster River High School
• Gorham High School
• Colebrook Academy
• Newport Middle & High School
• Milford High School
• Kingswood High School
• Souhegan High School
• Alvirne High School
• Monadnock Waldorf High School
• Monadnock Regional Middle High School
• Nashua IMPACCT Academy

With two weeks left before Granite State RESPECT Week takes center stage, high schools across the state still have time to register! The registration deadline is Thursday, February 2nd.
For more information on Granite State RESPECT Week, click here.
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Teen Dating Violence Statistics:

• Nearly 1.5 million high school students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner in a single year.
• 1 in 10 high school students has been purposefully hit, slapped or physically hurt by a partner. 
• Only 33% of teens who were in a violent relationship ever told anyone about the abuse.
• Nearly half of teens who experience dating violence report that incidents of abuse took place in a school building or on school grounds.
• High school students who experience physical violence in a dating relationship are more likely to use drugs and alcohol, are at greater risk of suicide and are much more likely to carry patterns of abuse into future relationships.
• 81% of parents surveyed either believe teen dating violence is not an issue or admit they do not know if it is one.

About the Coalition
NHCADSV is a statewide network of 13 independent member programs committed to ending sexual violence, domestic violence, and stalking, through direct services to victims, community education, and public policy advocacy. The NHCADSV and its 13 member programs do not discriminate based on gender, age, health status (including HIV-positive), physical, mental, or emotional ability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, socio-economic status, race, national origin, immigration status, or religious or political affiliation. For more information visit www.nhcadsv.org.