February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness month

Jan. 30—GREENSBURG — February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month and New Directions Domestic Violence Shelter is sponsoring an "Orange Out" event at local high school basketball games to call attention to the observation.

"The goal of this event is to pack the gyms with the color orange to show support and to take a stand against teen dating violence," New Directions' Kelly Wampler said. "Our theme for this Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month is Talk About It."

Orange shirts and bracelets will be available for purchase before the start of each game and basketball fans are encouraged to wear orange and take a stand against teen dating violence.

According to Wampler, 1 in 3 young people will be in an abusive or unhealthy relationship at some point. In the United States, 51 percent of dating girls and 43 percent of dating boys have been victims of dating violence, but only a third of teens involved in an abusive relationship told someone about the abuse.

"Young people who tell their parents about their abuse are often dismissed and not taken seriously," Wampler said. "Abuse can look different for young people and adults, so it is often dismissed as being not a big deal."

To pre-order an "Orange Out" T-shirt before the games, call New Directions at 812-662-8223.

Contact Bill Rethlake at 812-651-0876 or email bill.rethlake@greensburgdailynews.com