February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
In his Proclamation, President Biden states, “During National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, we recommit ourselves to ending this scourge of our society and providing our young people every chance to live the fulfilling and productive lives they deserve.”
Nearly 1 in 11 female and about 1 in 14 male high school students report having experienced physical dating violence in the last year. About 1 in 8 female and 1 in 26 male high school students report having experienced sexual dating violence in the last year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Learn about ways to raise awareness and access resources for victims of teen dating violence on the OVC-funded love is respect website. 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. Since it began operation in 1996, the hotline has received more than 6 million calls, texts, and online chats. Victims of dating violence can contact this free and confidential hotline anytime to receive support.
Discover additional information and resources on the following websites:
- Office on Violence Against Women: Dating Violence
- Office of Justice Programs: Teen Dating Violence
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Teen Dating Violence
- Girlshealth.gov: Healthy Relationships
National Black History Month
In his National Black History Month Proclamation, President Biden states, “Vice President Harris and I are deeply committed to advancing equity, racial justice, and opportunity for Black Americans as we continue striving to realize America’s founding promise.”
OVC echoes 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—
- 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—
- 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, will facilitate 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.
- Supporting Victims of Hate Crimes and Strengthening Their Communities
Futures Without Violence will partner with at least 12 community-based organizations throughout the country to implement field-generated, victim-centered, culturally responsive projects to address hate crimes in their 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.
- Preventing Trafficking of Girls
Through this grant program, the Youth Collaboratory is developing effective prevention and intervention strategies to prevent sex trafficking of Black girls. Training and consulting are available, including a new Take Action Against Trafficking of Black Girls video training covering emerging trends and promising practices for prevention and early intervention.
National Consumer Protection Week, March 6–12
National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) is a time dedicated to helping people understand their consumer rights and make well-informed decisions about money.
During NCPW, OVC joins the Federal Trade Commission and other federal agencies to provide information on scams, identity theft, and other consumer protection issues.
- Access resources for local press and social media outreach, information on planning events, and about the latest scams and consumer protection issues on the Federal Trade Commission’s NCPW website.
- Find guides about consumer rights and learn about common frauds and scams and how victims of fraud and identity theft can get help on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Consumer Tools website.
- Victims of identity theft can contact the OVC-funded Identity Theft Resource Center toll free at 888–400–5530 or live chat Monday–Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. eastern time.
- The Identity Theft Resource Center publishes information to help service providers and others understand trends in identity theft. Their 2021 Consumer Aftermath Report describes the emotional and practical effects on the day-to-day lives of identity theft victims.
- The OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center’s (OVC TTAC) Victim Assistance Training Online includes modules about cyber fraud, financial crimes, identity theft, among other crimes.
- OVC TTAC also offers Identity Theft Victim Assistance Online Training, which provides users the knowledge and skills to more effectively serve victims of identity theft and assist with their financial and emotional recovery.
