February 26, 2026<\/p>\n
Media Contact: <\/strong>Bryan Hooten, 804-807-1727, bryan.hooten@vdh.virginia.gov<\/a><\/p>\n Real Love Respects <\/strong><\/p>\n RHHD Highlights Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month<\/em><\/p>\n RICHMOND, Va. \u2013 February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. Richmond and Henrico Health Districts remind teens and the community what love is. Love should feel safe and supportive, not controlling or frightening.<\/p>\n Teen dating violence is more common than many might realize. In the U.S., 1 in 10 teens<\/a> experienced some form of dating violence. It can happen in person, online, or through text messages. Experiencing relationship violence during adolescence is linked to higher risk of depression, anxiety, substance use, and future relationship violence.<\/p>\n \u201cHealthy relationships are a key part of overall health and well-being, especially for young people,\u201d said Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Population Health Manager, Tamara Jones-Groves. \u201cWhen teens can recognize the difference between caring and controlling behaviors, they are better prepared to build safe relationships, protect their mental health, and seek help when something doesn\u2019t feel right.\u201d<\/p>\n Dating violence<\/a> can include:<\/p>\n Unhealthy relationships can have long-term effects on physical and mental health. They thrive in isolation. It\u2019s important for teens to maintain relationships with friends and family while dating. Parents and mentors should talk with teens about relationships and create an environment where they can be honest without the fear of judgement or getting in trouble.<\/p>\n According to Nisa Foundation<\/a>, a caring healthy partner respects and values their significant other\u2019s independence and individuality. They understand the importance of maintaining separate identities and encourage their partner to pursue their own interests and relationships outside of the partnership.<\/p>\n A controlling partner\u2019s behavior often aims to lessen their own anxiety by eliminating uncertainty or doubt in the relationship. Past trauma may contribute to the need for control. Control may take the form of criticism, threats, humiliation, and isolation. To maintain perceived control, individuals may blame others or manipulate events.<\/p>\n Controlling behavior may make someone feel like they have no autonomy or independence. Over time, this can lead to feelings of suffocation, loss of self-esteem, and decreased confidence in their abilities and decisions.<\/p>\n Parents, schools, and communities play an important role in modeling and promoting healthy, supportive relationships. Support can include sharing posts on social media, talking with teens about healthy relationships, and supporting survivors without judgment.<\/p>\n Understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships<\/strong><\/p>\n Learning the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships helps young people make safer dating choices.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Healthy relationships <\/strong><\/p>\n Unhealthy relationships <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Other ways to help<\/strong><\/p>\n No one is alone.\u00a0 If someone is experiencing dating violence, call 911 or reach out to one of the resources listed below.<\/p>\n Leaving an unhealthy relationship can be hard, but safety and mental health matters.<\/p>\n Visit rhhd.gov<\/a> for more health and safety information. Follow RHHD on Instagram (@richmondcity_hd<\/a>) and Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n # # #<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) are sister public health agencies serving our connected communities. Our mission is to protect health, champion equity, and partner to address local needs.<\/em><\/p>\n rhhd.gov<\/a> | henrico.gov\/health<\/a> | RHHD Facebook<\/a> | IG: @richmondcity_hd<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" February 26, 2026 Media Contact: Bryan Hooten, 804-807-1727, bryan.hooten@vdh.virginia.gov Real Love Respects RHHD Highlights Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month RICHMOND, Va. \u2013 February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. Richmond and Henrico Health Districts remind teens and the community what love is. Love should feel safe and supportive, not controlling or frightening. Teen dating violence […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":258,"featured_media":0,"parent":16853,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[1547,1546,894,1545,1515,1544,1548],"class_list":["post-17576","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","tag-healthy-relationships","tag-relationship-violence","tag-richmond-henrico-health-district","tag-tamara-jones-groves","tag-teen-dating-violence","tag-teen-dating-violence-awareness-month","tag-unhealthy-relationships"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
Understand the difference between caring and controlling<\/h2>\n
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