It’s February… And the color of the month is… ORANGE!

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM) and our WISE and MOST Clubs are on a roll. Our club members have broken down the “woman box” and “man box” and discussed the many pressures society puts on us to fit into these boxes. We have discussed gender roles, stereotypes and expectations that normally represent these boxes and have talked about how these expectations can lead to violence in relationships. We spoke a bit about conflict management and anger resolutions, too.

Ridgeland Hardeeville High School MOST Club

Beaufort Middle School WISE Club

These conversations have set us up perfectly to begin our discussions on healthy relationships, unhealthy relationships and abusive relationships this month. We will dive deep into the characteristics and behaviors of each type of relationship. We will discuss red flags and warning signs of abusive relationships and study intervention skills to help us become helpful bystanders.

To keep the non-club students in the loop, we will post resources, posters and fliers throughout the hallways, restrooms, etc. at schools, sharing ways they too can participate in TDVAM.

Club members will participate in lunchtime awareness activities and promote TDVAM by passing out orange ribbons, palm cards, resources, etc. We will host a few grade-wide assemblies, encourage them to participate in social media campaigns and even encourage them to wear orange to advocate for healthy relationships.

Robert Smalls International Academy WISE Club

Hilton Head Island High School MOST Club

Your support means more than you know. To the silent victims, the young ones without a place to turn, a trusted shoulder to lean on or the ability to get legal protection - your support tells them that their voices are being heard. One more voice being heard is one more life that could be saved. Of course, the effort to end dating violence doesn't stop on March 1. We are committed to helping teens and young people yearlong. So, we are asking you to take a continued stance with us in ending teen dating violence by making others aware of this ongoing issue, as well.

One of the ways you can join in on the national movement, is by following and posting with these hashtags:

#TeenDVMonth or #TDVAM - use this to promote Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

#HuddleUp- use this to join LoveIsRespect.org in raising awareness of Teen Dating Violence

#LoveIsRespect - use this to share what love and respect mean to you

#HopefulHorizons - use this to support our local prevention efforts

#CAPABeaufort - use this to support our local prevention efforts

Thanks again for all your support and dedication in helping bring awareness to teen dating violence. We appreciate you!

Since collaboration is a core value of our organization, Hopeful Horizons partners with CAPA Beaufort to form the Abuse Prevention Coalition (APC). The mission of the APC is to change the cultural norms associated with violence against women and girls by providing primary prevention education to middle, high school and college students in Beaufort and surrounding counties. This work is carried out through the WISE Club and MOST Club.

WISE Club provides young women with a structured and supportive space to learn about healthy femininity and redefine what it means to be a strong woman. Challenging the images and “dominant stories” they see in the media, their communities and across the globe, WISE Club encourages young women to look within and become their best selves. By creating safe spaces to discuss difficult issues, like date rape, gender norms, violence and body image issues middle and high school girls increase their level of self-awareness and confidence which ultimately paves the way for healthier life choices.

WISE Club is currently held at:

Battery Creek High School (mixed grades)

Lady’s Island Middle School (8th grade)

Colleton County Middle School 7th & 8th grades)

Beaufort Middle School (8th grade)

Whale Branch Early College High School (mixed grades)

Hardeeville-Ridgeland Middle School (8th grades)

Robert Smalls International Academy (7th grades)

MOST Club is dedicated to mobilizing male youth to preventing violence against women and girls. The Men of Strength Club, or MOST Club, provides young men with a structured and supportive space to build individualized definitions of masculinity that promote healthy relationships. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified MOST Club as among the top four gender violence prevention programs in the country.

MOST Clubs are currently held at:

Colleton County Middle (7th & 8th grades)

Ridgeland-Hardeeville High (mix grade)

Hardeeville-Ridgeland Middle (8th)

Hilton Head Island High (mix grade)

Battery Creek High School (mixed grades)

Lady’s Island Middle School (7th & 8th grades)

Beaufort Middle School (7th grade)

Whale Branch Early College High School (mixed grades)

Wade Hampton High School (mixed grades)

Whale Branch Middle School (7th & 8th grades)