People of all ages deserve to be in relationships where they feel safe, respected, and loved, and dating and intimate partnerships in the teenage years are especially important for setting healthy relationship foundations.
Love is Respect
Every February, Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month is recognized across the nation. The 2026 theme is “Love is Respect,” which the national organization says “cuts through the noise by focusing on what real love should look and feel like. In a world full of mixed messages, this theme centers around one truth: respect is non-negotiable.”
One in three U.S. teens experience physical, sexual, or emotional abuse from a partner before adulthood.
The statistics around teenage intimate partner violence are concerning, with one in three U.S. teens experiencing physical, sexual, or emotional abuse from a partner before adulthood, and 43 percent of U.S. college women reporting violent or abusive dating behaviors. The effects of experiencing dating violence as a teenager are equally staggering, leading to heightened rates of anxiety, depression, and other expressions of emotional instability, underperformance in school, and increased likelihood to engage in high-risk behaviors, such as substance misuse.
Resources
TDVAM draws attention to the issue nationwide, while also providing robust resources for meeting teens where they’re at as well as where they’re hoping to be in their relationships. Online, teens can find information on healthy dating and intimacy, warning signs of abuse, personal safety tips, tools for voicing consent and setting boundaries, and how to find support for themselves or others. In addition, webinars and events were hosted throughout the month of February, including youth panels and talks hosted by the National Youth Council Members.
Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
SafeHouse Denver submitted a request for the state of Colorado to proclaim February Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, which Governor Jared Polis signed on February 1, 2026. Our organization is proud to work alongside all local agencies—including Project Pave, Rainbow Alley, Rose Andom Center, and the Blue Bench—to support survivors, raise awareness, and stop the cycle of abuse so teens can enjoy the lifegiving benefits of healthy relationships.
