Dating Violence Awareness
Dear Editor: February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month.
This annual, monthlong push focuses on raising awareness about teen dating abuse and providing advocacy and education to stop dating abuse before it starts. Every February, young people and their loved ones join together across the country for a national effort to raise awareness about the issue of teen dating violence. This issue is an important one – nationally, 1.5 million high schoolers report having experienced either abusive or controlling behaviors in a dating relationship, and one in three teens in the United States will experience physical, sexual, or emotional abuse by someone they are in a relationship with before they become adults. Addressing teen dating violence is especially important here in Alaska, where half of adult women experience intimate partner violence, sexual violence, or both in their lifetime.
To address this issue, Sitka Youth Leadership Committee launched the Healthy Me, Healthy We campaign, a project that aims to increase awareness of dating violence and promote healthy relationships among teens. SYLC has also initiated a peer education program, where SYLC members go to high school classrooms and educate their peers about healthy and unhealthy relationships. Both of these projects help to create dialogue and deepen understanding of healthy relationships- two essential steps in preventing teen dating violence. By understanding the essential elements of healthy relationships and learning the early warning signs of harmful and abusive behaviors, we can change things for ourselves and those we care about. The first step is to get the right information about healthy relationships and abuse in front of young people. To help accomplish that step, SYLC is dedicated to educating our peers about the red flags or warning signs of unhealthy relationships and their rights and responsibilities in every relationship.
While no two relationships look the same and different people may define relationships in different ways, there are a few key things that must be present in all relationships for it to be healthy: respect, equality, honesty, trust, communication, boundaries, and consent. In a healthy relationship, you have the right to be yourself and you have the freedom to be independent. You also have the responsibility to respect your partner’s privacy, independence, and interests. Ultimately, in a healthy relationship there is mutual respect and decision-making. Everyone is worthy of these things in a relationship.
Unfortunately, some people find themselves in relationships that do not fulfill these characteristics and demonstrate unhealthy behaviors. Relationships exist on a spectrum and it can be hard to tell when a behavior goes from healthy to unhealthy or even abusive. Some warning signs include: checking your phone or social media without your permission, putting you down frequently, isolating you from friends or family, showing extreme jealousy, explosive outbursts, any form of physical harm, and controlling behavior. Any time an individual exerts power over their partner, demonstrates controlling behavior, keeps someone from spending time with loved ones, or behaves violently towards their significant other they are displaying characteristics of an abusive relationship.
If you think a friend or family member might be in an unhealthy or abusive relationship, know that the best way you can show your support is by listening to them, acknowledging their feelings, and respecting their decisions. Additionally, it’s important to know the resources available to you. Some great resources to start with are: Sitkans Against Family Violence (call 747-3370, text 623-7820, or visit safv.org), loveisrespect.org, the National Teen Dating Abuse Hotline (call 1-866-331-9474 or text “loveis” to 77054), the National Domestic Violence Hotline (call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit thehotline.org), or athinline.org. And remember, everyone has the right to feel safe in their relationship.
Sitka Youth Leadership Committee
Climate Change Action
Dear Editor: Believe it or not, I am excited about climate change! OK, not exactly climate change, but action on it. With all the interest at a national level, many, including me, think this is the year that Congress will pass national legislation to combat climate change. That is exciting!
But I think it’s important that we weigh in on the legislation we want. As individuals, as a community, as local and tribal governments, as businesses and groups – we need to let our law makers know what we want out of climate action and climate legislation.
I want legislation that is good for people AND for businesses.
I want legislation that is effective AND bipartisan.
I want legislation that is simple AND comprehensive.
And I’m excited because all sorts of people – economists AND scientists, Republicans AND Democrats, and maybe me AND you, are realizing this: putting a price on carbon and giving the funds generated back to Americans as a monthly dividend is the best way to unleash American technological ingenuity and innovation AND drive down America’s carbon pollution and start to bring climate change under control. Such a bill is developed and is expected to be reintroduced in Congress soon – the Energy innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (more info at www.energyinnovationact.org).
I encourage you to check it out and contact Rep. Don Young, Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Sen. Dan Sullivan. Whether it is the cost of natural disaster recovery, effects on fisheries, or personal concerns, talk to them about why this is important to each of us. Ask them about carbon fee and dividend. Encourage them to cosponsor the bill.
And if you want to go further and work with others excited about helping our people, our economy, our health and our environment, contact me to learn more about Citizens’ Climate Lobby and how we are working state-wide with chapters in cities across Alaska and the U.S.
Michelle Putz, Sitka, 747-2708
sitkaclimatelobby@gmail.com
Correction
A story on the front page of Tuesday’s Sentinel listed incorrect information about artist Amber Webb. She was born in Anchorage (not Dillingham) raised in both Anchorage and Dillingham, and now lives in Aleknagik (not Anchorage).
