DOTTIE'S HOUSE PRESENTS "Loves Me, Loves Me Not"

DOTTIE'S HOUSE PRESENTS
"Loves Me, Loves Me Not"
Building Healthy Relationships Curriculum

Teen dating violence is on the rise now more than ever. In fact, based on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC's) 2009 findings, 1 in 4 adolescents report verbal, physical, emotional or sexual abuse from a dating partner each year. That's 25% of all adolescents! Another study found that 10% of students nationwide report being physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend within the past year. The problem is that most teens don’t recognize the signs of an unhealthy relationship and actually become a victim of dating violence without even knowing it.

To help improve the statistics and bring awareness to teen dating violence and the lifelong effects it can cause, Dottie’s House has developed the "Loves Me, Loves Me Not:" Building Healthy Relationships Curriculum which is being implemented throughout Ocean County schools. The curriculum is designed to teach students the warning signs of an unhealthy relationship and the steps necessary to put an end to this behavior. They must understand that it is ok to speak up! Our program contains various video supplements including Liz Claiborne, Inc.'s Love is Not Abuse video of four teenage girls who tell their real-life stories of abuse and the steps they took to break away.

Recent legislation will require all New Jersey school boards to incorporate a teen dating violence prevention program into their curriculum. If you would like to learn more about our program or request a copy of our curriculum to implement in your school, please call (732) 295-7380.