National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
In his Proclamation, President Biden states, “During National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, we bring this scourge out of the shadows, recommit to promoting healthy relationships, and join together with a clear message to survivors: You are not alone.”
Unhealthy, abusive, or violent relationships can have short- and long-term negative effects, including severe consequences, on a developing teen. Nearly 1 in 12 high school students report having experienced physical dating violence in the last year. And about 1 in 12 high school students report having experienced sexual dating violence in the last year according to the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Discover public awareness materials and access resources for victims of teen dating violence on the love is respect website, developed with funding from OVC.
Teens, young adults, and their loved ones can contact the 24/7 confidential love is respect helpline by phone, text, or online chat to receive support.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline, funded in part by OVC, also offers support for victims of intimate partner violence, including victims of teen dating violence. Victims of dating violence can contact this free and confidential hotline anytime to receive support.
Find additional information and resources on the following websites:
- Office on Violence Against Women: Dating Violence
- Office of Justice Programs: Teen Dating Violence Special Feature
- Girlshealth.gov: Healthy Relationships
National Black History Month
In his National Black History Month Proclamation, President Biden states, “On day one of my Presidency, I issued an Executive Order to advance equity and racial justice in every policy we pursue.”
OVC supports the Administration’s priorities in advancing equity and racial justice and is committed to ensuring access to culturally responsive victim services, services for multicultural communities, and non-traditional victim services. Visit our Serving Communities of Color topic page to view publications, videos, training and technical assistance opportunities, and more. Resources include—
- Take Action Against Trafficking of Black Girls
The 3-part video series, developed by Youth Collaboratory with funding from OVC, amplifies several voices from direct service professionals, researchers, youth and young adults with lived expertise, and multidisciplinary providers about emerging trends and promising practices for prevention and early intervention for Black girls who are at risk of being or are victims of sex trafficking.
- Providing Effective Services to Young Men and Boys of Color
This OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center on demand training features four lessons on best practices for serving young men and boys of color.
- A Vision for Equity in Victim Services: What Do the Data Tell Us About the Work Ahead
Learn about expanding access to justice in this video.
- Increasing Access to Healing Services and Just Outcomes for Older African American Crime Survivors
This OVC-sponsored toolkit offers information and practical strategies to help identify, reach, and serve older Black victims of crime.
OVC initiatives include—
- The National Center for Culturally Responsive Victim Services
The Center, managed by Ujima, Inc.: The National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community, in partnership with The National Organization of Sisters of Color Ending Sexual Assault, facilitates the delivery of high-quality training and technical assistance to increase access to victim services and victim compensation for victims of crime that have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by inequality.
The Center will also administer microgrants to victim-serving organizations run by and for the communities they serve with the overarching goal of increasing the number of victims accessing services in underserved communities.
- Advancing Hospital-Based Victim Services
This program ensures that trained victim service providers are on hand in hospital emergency rooms to connect victims of violence in underserved communities with the services and support needed to aid in their healing. OVC is funding The Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (HAVI) to support the violence intervention programs connected to this initiative and promote equity for victims of violence.
- Legal Fellowship Program to Bridge Inequities in Legal Services and Victims’ Rights Enforcement for Underserved Communities
This program will expand the capacity of participating agencies to provide civil legal assistance to victims of crime in underserved, Black, Indigenous and other People of Color communities and to enforce their rights as crime victims. Equal Justice Works will launch this Crime Victims Advocacy Program in partnership with the National Crime Victim Law Institute.
- Community IMPACT: Imagining Multidisciplinary Pathways to Assist, Care & Thrive
Through funding from a cooperative agreement with OVC, Futures Without Violence provided funding to 11 local community-based groups to promote awareness, healing, reconciliation, and access to resources and services for victims of hate crimes and develop innovative approaches and strategies to address hate in their communities and help survivors heal.
- Enhancing Access to Victim Services
This program will expand the availability of accessible services for crime victims who are disabled, Deaf, hard-of-hearing, limited English proficient, blind, and/or visually impaired. Activating Change is partnered with the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence to provide technical assistance to the 10 organizations funded by OVC to address equity and provide culturally-specific victim services for victims from these communities.
International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, February 6
On February 6, 2023, we commemorate the annual International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
The STOP FGM Act of 2020 prohibits FGM from being performed on anyone under the age of 18. It is also a crime to transport a minor to another country for purposes of having FGM performed upon them.
The International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM is a time to raise awareness about this harmful practice.
OVC supports efforts to build or enhance community responses to address the needs of victims of female genital mutilation and identify at-risk girls through our Addressing Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting program.
OVC made 5 FGM awards totaling nearly $1.4 million in FY 2021 and 7 FGM awards totaling nearly $3 million in FY 2020.
For more information about FGM, visit the United Nations’ International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM site and join us as we raise awareness of this crime.