Teen dating violence statistics prompt performance art contest and HEART campaign

Nearly 1.5 million high school students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner in a single year.

One in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds rates of other types of youth violence.

One in 10 high school students has been purposefully hit, slapped or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend.

One quarter of high school girls have been victims of physical or sexual abuse.
Approximately 70% of college students say they have been sexually coerced.

1 in 5 females & 1 in 14 males experience stalking between the ages of 11-17.

Young people ages 12-19 experience the highest rates of rape and sexual assault.

Teen girls in physically abusive relationships are three times more likely to become pregnant than non-abused girls.

With sobering statistics like these, South Lake Tahoe's Live Violence Free partnered with local businesses, and South Tahoe High and Middle Schools students to bring awareness during Teen Violence Awareness Month.

As part of the community-wide campaign, select South Tahoe High School students competed to participate in a live performance art mural contest. The piece chosen by prominent members of the community as the winning representation of a healthy relationship was displayed in Blue Angel Café in February.

Jade Child's winning artwork was displayed at the Blue Angel Cafe recently after her piece was chosen by community members as best portraying the awareness campaign. The restaurant on Ski Run Blvd also had Live Violence Free's teen dating violence awareness cards inserted in patron's bill folders. Jade won a gift certificate from Blue Angel Cafe.

The focus of the campaign was H.E.A.R.T. - Healthy, Equal, Accepting, Relationship Together.

There were seven high school students who participated in the mural contest as well as middle school art students. STMS art was on display at Verde Rotisserie in Meyers. The new restaurant gave each winner three gift certificates.

Teen Dating Violence figures were obtained from loveisrespect.org and Live Violence Free.