• Nearly 1.5 million high school students across the country experience physical abuse from a dating partner every year.

• 1 in 3 teens in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional, or verbal abuse from a dating partner.

• 1 in 10 high school students has been hit, slapped, or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend.

• 25% of high school girls have been victims of physical or sexual abuse.

(Statistics from CDC, Break The Cycle, and Love is Respect)

The goal of Take Charge is to reduce the number of new instances of intimate partner violence or sexual violence by intervening before any violence occurs. Simply put, we want to stop the violence before it happens. This program uses a primary prevention approach which focuses on understanding and addressing the factors that lead to violence.

Some topics include:

• Introduction to healthy relationships

• Identifying different types of abuse: physical, emotional, sexual, and digital

• Understanding tactics an abuser will use to gain power and control over his/her victim

• Exploring beliefs about gender and challenging those that can lead to violence

• Identifying ways the media influences perceptions of relationships

• Understanding everyone’s role in preventing violence

The program structure is flexible and is based on the schedule of participating schools and organizations. Would you like a one time presentation? A 6 week program? The YWCA wants to best meet the needs of your students.

If you would like to schedule a visit from our Dating Violence Prevention Specialist call 574-233-9491.