Safe Dates: An Evidence-Basd Program to Prevent Dating Violence
1 in 3 teens experience some form of dating abuse in their relationships. The Safe Dates program is designed to help teens understand the causes and consequences of dating abuse, along with ways to prevent it from happening to them or a friend.
About
Safe Dates is an evidence-based dating violence prevention curriculum designed by the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation for middle and high school students. This comprehensive 10-session program has been proven to reduce dating violence significantly among participating students and is recognized nationally as an effective practice in intimate partner violence prevention.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention:
- 1 in 10 high school students has experienced physical violence from a dating partner
- Among adult victims, 22.4% of women and 15% of men first experienced some form of partner violence between 11 and 17 years of age
- Across studies, 15-40% of youth report perpetrating some form of violence towards a dating partner
Make the Commitment
The Prince George’s Department of Family Services, Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking Division is looking to partner with local community agencies and non-profit organizations whose mission focuses on youth services and development to facilitate the Safe Dates Program for their organization. This evidence-based program uses a curriculum that educates youth and adolescents on how to identify and prevent dating violence. Through these sessions, students will learn and discuss:
- The causes of dating violence
- How they can help a friend in an abusive relationship
- Common gender stereotypes regarding dating violence,
- and important prevention techniques.
Department of Family Service’s Responsibilities:
• To provide a one-day facilitator training with Hazelden for all partners (CEUs available)
• To provide customizable curriculum options (10-sessions, 6-sessions, 4-session options
available)
• To provide program resources including: FREE snacks, FREE giveaways, FREE graduation
certificates for students, etc. (additional FREE resources can be made available upon request if
budgeting permits)
• To provide implementation assistance from Department of Family Services liaison when needed
Community Partner’s Responsibilities:
• Allow 1-2 facilitators to attend training
• Sign official implementation agreement
• Begin to implement Safe Dates Curriculum within 3 months following training
• Deliver the complete 10-session Safe Dates curriculum to at least one (1) group of students
• Routinely attend quarterly check-in meetings with Program Coordinator
• Provide program feedback through surveys
If your agency is interested in working with the Department of Family Services, Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking Division to prevent dating violence among the youth populations of Prince George’s County or would like more information, call our office at (301) 265-8407.