Teen Dating Violence

Teen Dating Violence is a pattern of acts or threatened acts of violence, abuse, manipulation or harassment by a teen against another teen that are in some type of close relationship.

Teen Dating violence can affect any teen, male or female, straight or gay, in a serious or casual, relationship. Any teen can be a victim of relationship violence, but the risk of it is significantly higher for females.

I know you guys may be thinking, what happened to our friend Leigh could never happen to you or your friends but that's exactly what we thought ourselves. It's important to pick up on signs and cues of possible abuse.

Leigh's Legacy Fund is an education initiative, established under S.A.V.E. (Strategies Against Violence Everywhere) by the family of Leigh LaCour Belyn.

This fund's goal is to educate mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, friends and anyone who cares about young people about the signs of teen dating violence. The fund will advocate for more school based education on the topic and tell the story of Leigh throughout central Ohio so every lovely and amazing young woman will get the help they need to be safe.

If you would like to help Leigh's Legacy please donate or volunteer to help our cause as well as millions of other teens suffering from teen dating abuse. And if you know someone who needs help, DON'T WAIT!

The Signs of Teen Dating Violence

In March of 2012 the counselor from New Albany High school asked a representative of Leigh's Legacy (LL) to speak to the entire high school for "Prom Promise Week". The founder (Celeste LaCour) spoke to approximately 1000 kids. The topic was "The Signs of Teen Dating Violence".

Several months later, a program was scheduled "Peace Week" at the school where Leigh's Legacy (LL) was again invited and the LL founder distributed reference materials and a questionnaire regarding the presentation and TDV from March's presentation. The results were astounding. 100 surveys were distributed and 95 were completed and returned representing a 95% return. In addition, between 95 and 99% of the students stated that they learned useful information regarding TDV and approximately 20% of responses received communicated that they felt and/or knew someone that was in an unhealthy relationship. Complete results below:

Additional resources:
Understanding Teen Dating Violence (CDC)
Teen Dating Violence, A Closer Look (NIJ)
The Facts on Teen Dating Violence (Futures Without Violence)

Did the workshop held during Prom Promise Week increase your knowledge on teen dating violence?

Are you or anyone you know in an unhealthy relationship?

Have you ever felt afraid to break up with someone for fear of being threatened or hurt by that person?

Would you like your school to have more workshops
relating to teen dating violence?

Would you be comfortable utilizing your guidance
department or community agency to help with a relationship that was unhealthy?

How do you rate your self-esteem on a scale of 1-10, 10 feeling the best about yourself?

More Statistics

About 1 in 3 high school students have been or will be involved in an abusive dating relationship.

40% of teenage girls ages 14 to 17 say they know someone their age who has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend.

Teen dating violence most often takes place in the home of one of the partners.

20% of dating couples report some type of violence in their relationship.

A survey of adolescent and college students revealed that date rape accounted for 67% of sexual assaults.

(**Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence is the source of the statistics above)