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>>Female Speaker: Have you ever seen a ripple effect?
Communities across the country are becoming
a part of one.
Young person by young person we're creating a new norm
for the next generation.
A generation that experiences respectful,
safe, and healthy relationships.
Communities are teaming with local health
departments and the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention to empower youth to have
healthy relationships before they start dating.
Because if we start teaching the basics
to youth now, we lay the ground work
for healthy relationships as adults.
A healthy relationships is built on respect
and free of violence.
When approximately 10 percent of students
nationwide reported being physically hurt by a
boyfriend or a girlfriend during the past year,
we know that something needs to be done to stop
teen dating violence before it starts.
Dating Matters: strategies to help promote healthy
teen relationships, is one way urban communities are
working together to promote respectful
non-violent dating relationships among youth.
Developed by experts and scientists,
Dating Matters uses health programs that have proven
successful with youth and takes an all around
approach to engage the whole community
in helping youth embrace and build
healthy relationships now and in the future.
Dating Matters reaches youth in the many settings
where relationships take place.
Engaging youth at school and through peers,
we reach them where they learn and play using
voices they know and trust.
Engaging families, we provide parents with the
skills to talk about dating relationships
with their kids and practice
healthy relationships themselves.
Engaging schools, we empower our teachers
to know warning signs and work with their students
to understand the value of healthy relationships.
And engaging the community we create an environment
where healthy relationships grow
and dating violence is not okay.
Engaging youth, family, schools, and the community,
we build a surround sound effect that strengthens
our message and serves as a foundation for youth
before they start dating.
Dating Matters is designed to evolve as the worlds
of youth change, communities transform,
and opportunities are identified to build
on the positive values of each community.
Youth and safe healthy relationships are more
likely to do well in school, and are less likely
to be involved in other risky behaviors
like youth violence and substance use.
By bringing the community together to build
a foundation for healthy relationships,
dating Matters will create a ripple effect throughout
their lives and the community.
Together we can create a healthy and safe future
for our youth.
Join in with your community, visit
CDC.gov/violenceprevention/datingmatters.