JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
February is Teen Dating Violence Prevention and Awareness
Month across the U.S., and Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Mental Health Clinic
members will be educating teenagers, young adults and their parents on how to
prevent or stop abusive relationships by using skills and habits that can lead
to healthier relationships.
The classes being offered by the JBSA-Randolph Mental Health
Clinic in February will educate teenagers and young adults by teaching them how
to identify the signs of an abusive relationship.
“We are helping families recognize healthy relationships and
recognize abuse,” said Gina Ramirez, 359th Medical Operations Squadron Mental
Health Flight outreach and resiliency coordinator. “It’s helping teenagers and
young adults recognize what healthy boundaries and relationships are like.”
Ramirez said an unhealthy relationship can include both
physical and verbal abuse. The signs of an abusive relationship can include
being inconsiderate, disrespectful, distrustful, making threats or physically
hurting a significant other.
Small incidents in an abusive relationship, such as name-calling,
could lead to violence, Ramirez said.
“It always begins small and escalates,” Ramirez said. “It’s
not just somebody hitting you, punching you or slapping you. Those are the
extremes. How the abuse begins is what we want to get across to the parents and
to the teenagers.”
According to surveys, teenage dating violence and abuse is
widespread. One in 11 high school students, according to the website
http://www.kidshealth.org, said they were physically abused on a date. In
addition, 80 percent of teenagers say that verbal abuse is a problem for their
age group.
Ramirez said a healthy relationship is based on trust,
respect and honesty. She said partners in a healthy relationship can respect
each other’s choices and decisions even if they disagree with them, have equal
say and respected boundaries and can communicate their feelings in an open and
honest way.
Classes and forums offered in February for Teen Dating
Violence Prevention and Awareness Month include:
• Feb. 10 – “A Cup of Prevention,” 8:30-9:30 a.m., at the
JBSA-Randolph Medical Clinic MDOS Conference Room. Parents learn about and
discuss healthy relationships, social courage, self-image and awareness, coping
strategies and communication in their children’s teenage years. Forum is facilitated
by the Texas Advocacy Project, a non-profit law firm that provides free legal
services to victims of domestic and dating violence, sexual assault and
stalking, according to the law firm’s website.
• Feb. 10 – “In Their Shoes,” 5-6:30 p.m., at the JBSA-Randolph
Youth Center. Put on by the Texas Advocacy Project for teenagers. In this
forum, six teenagers re-enact scenes from the experiences of real life
teenagers in relationships, including a dating partner, family and friends.
Forum includes the film “Teen Talk: In Their Shoes.”
• Feb. 17 – “Responsible Social Media Teen Talk,” 5-6:30
p.m., at JBSA-Randolph Youth Center. Teenagers learn about the appropriate uses
of social media and the pitfalls, including cyber-bullying, and how to avoid
those pitfalls. Class is taught by Fara Smith, 802nd Force Support Squadron
Family Life Program educator at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston.
• Feb. 22 – “Dangers of Social Media,” 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at
the JBSA-Randolph Human Performance Resource Center. Parents get educated about
social media, how their children are using it, the pitfalls of it and how they
can protect their children from social media pitfalls. Class is taught by
Smith.
• Feb. 23 – “Body Image and Nutrition,” 5-6 p.m., at
JBSA-Randolph Youth Center. Class is taught by Danette Blair, JBSA-Randolph
Chapel youth coordinator. Children are taught that making healthy eating and
lifestyle choices can lead to healthy relationships.
The JBSA-Randolph Youth Center is sponsoring a teen dating
violence essay contest for ages 13-18. The essay topic is teen dating violence
in today’s culture; essay must be 500
words or less. Deadline for essay submission is Feb. 19 at the youth center.
Essays will be judged by the JBSA-Randolph First Sergeant’s
Council.
To register to participate in the classes and forums, call
the JBSA-Randolph Mental Health Clinic at 652-2448.