February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, and Child and Family Services (C+FS) Haven House took an active role by visiting the Orchard Park Central School District. Alicia Stark, Development Manager, and Bailie Murty, Youth Trafficking Prevention Program Coordinator, delivered presentations to students across various grade levels, focusing on Teen Dating Violence and fostering healthy relationships. These efforts are in collaboration with the Rachael Warrior Foundation, which has been instrumental in initiating conversations about breaking cycles of violence in early dating.
“Teenagers often don’t recognize the red flags associated with domestic violence,” explained Alicia. “By educating them about healthy relationships, we are empowering them to identify the warning signs early.”
Alicia and Bailie began their presentations with an interactive activity. Each student was given a paper cutout shaped like a person, with the phrase “My relationships make me feel…” written on it. Students were then asked to write down words describing how they wanted to be treated by the people they care about.
“When presenting on topics like teen dating violence and domestic violence, talking about healthy relationships with teens is vital to our prevention efforts in survivor services,” emphasized Bailie. “It is extremely important to start having conversations at a young age about healthy relationships and ways to recognize what characteristics of unhealthy relationships look like before they evolve into abuse.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call our 24-hour hotline at (716) 884-6000 or visit the Domestic Violence Help page on the Child and Family Services website to learn more about the resources available.