WHEREAS, Orange Day is a national effort carried on by activists, community leaders, and national and local organizations to raise awareness about teen dating abuse, promote programs that support young people, and encourage communities to prevent this form of abuse with the goal of decreasing the prevalence of dating abuse among young people; and

WHEREAS, Teen dating violence, also known as dating abuse, is a serious and growing problem throughout California; and

WHEREAS, One in three young people experience some form of dating violence in their relationships; and

WHEREAS, Dating abuse affects people of all ages, backgrounds, and identities; and

WHEREAS, One in 10 high school students have been purposefully hit, slapped, or physically hurt by a significant other; and

WHEREAS, According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in its publication entitled “Dating Matters: Strategies to Promote Healthy Teen Relationships,” one in four adolescents report verbal, emotional, physical, or sexual dating abuse each year; and

WHEREAS, Forty-three percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) teens reported experiencing physical dating violence, compared to 29 percent of heterosexual youth; and

WHEREAS, Fifty-nine percent of LGBT teens reported experiencing emotional abuse, compared to 46 percent of heterosexual youth; and

WHEREAS, Fifty percent of transgender youth reported experiencing sexual violence at some point in their lives; and

WHEREAS, Teen dating violence has been linked to other forms of violence and aggression against peers, including bullying, sexual harassment, sexual violence, and physical violence; and

WHEREAS, Survivors of teen dating violence have increased risk for truancy, dropout, teen pregnancy, suicide, eating disorders, and engaging in other harmful behaviors, such as use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs; and

WHEREAS, Only 33 percent of teens who were in an abusive relationship ever told anyone about the abuse; and

WHEREAS, Violent relationships in adolescence can place the victims at high risk for depression, suicidal ideation, substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behavior, and further domestic violence; and

WHEREAS, Young women between 18 to 24 years of age experience the highest rate of intimate partner violence, almost double the national average; and

WHEREAS, Eighty-one percent of parents believe teen dating violence is not an issue or admit they do not know if it is an issue; and

WHEREAS, First loves set teens up for the rest of their lives, and teach teens how to define relationships; and

WHEREAS, The goal of Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month is to remind every teenager that your love is unique and you deserve to have your boundaries respected; and

WHEREAS, Warning signs of an unhealthy relationship include constant put downs, extreme jealousy or insecurity, explosive tempers, isolating a partner from family and friends, big moods swings, false accusations, telling a partner what to do, preventing a partner from doing what they want to do, financial control, and possessiveness; and

WHEREAS, Abuse comes in many forms, including emotional and verbal abuse, financial abuse, stalking, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and digital abuse; and

WHEREAS, Parents or guardians can help by keeping lines of communication open with kids, being a role model and treating kids and others with respect, and talking to kids about healthy relationships before they start dating; and

WHEREAS, Adolescents or teenagers can help by stepping up and speaking out if they see someone yelling at their partner, speaking out against inappropriate jokes, talking to a responsible adult if anyone they know needs help, educating themselves on the qualities of a healthy relationship, showing support and being a good listener to any person in need, and starting conversations to encourage family, friends, and communities to learn more about the issue; and

WHEREAS, Teen dating violence intervention and prevention programs can help to ensure a positive school climate and safe learning environment for youth, 12 to 24 years of age, inclusive; and

WHEREAS, Education and outreach programs for community members address warning signs of teen dating violence among youth before behaviors escalate, and protect the safety of targeted youth; and

WHEREAS, Consistent with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations for a comprehensive primary prevention program, multiple strategies are required, such as teaching safe and healthy relationship skills, engaging influential adults and peers, disrupting the developmental pathways toward partner violence, creating protective environments, strengthening economic supports for families, and supporting survivors to increase safety and lessen harm; and

WHEREAS, When we all come together to share our uniqueness, we can truly learn to work together and create healthy relationships; and

WHEREAS, The second Tuesday of February is always “Wear Orange Day,” a national day of awareness to wear orange in honor of Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month; and

WHEREAS, The establishment of Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month will benefit schools, communities, families, and all youth; now, therefore, be it