Sponsors (3)
Last progress February 12, 2025 (1 year ago)
Introduced on February 12, 2025 by Gwendolynne S. Moore
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Designates February 2025 as National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month and urges communities and institutions nationwide to promote awareness, prevention, and healthy relationship-building for teens. It defines teen dating and sexual violence, notes prevalence and risk factors (including technology-facilitated abuse), highlights prevention programs and laws, and calls on youth, parents, schools, law enforcement, public officials, and nonprofits to observe the month with programs and activities.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines teen dating violence to include four types of behavior: (1) physical violence, (2) sexual violence, (3) psychological aggression, and (4) stalking.
Technology-facilitated abuse is a growing problem that increases psychological aggression among teens.
Technology-facilitated abuse includes, but is not limited to, cyber extortion, cyberstalking, and doxing.
According to the Cyberbullying Research Center, 28.1 percent of teens who had been in a romantic relationship in the previous year said they had experienced at least one form of digital dating abuse.
The 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey reported that 44.3 percent of teens experienced at least one type of violence and 15.6 percent experienced at least two types of violence.
Primary direct impact is on adolescents and teenagers who experience or are at risk of dating and sexual violence: the designation raises visibility and encourages prevention and support activities targeted at them. Schools and K–12 systems may be prompted to expand or prioritize relationship-education curricula, trainings, and referrals. Families and parents are encouraged to engage in prevention and support efforts. Local law enforcement, health care providers, mental health and social service organizations, and nonprofits may increase outreach, training, and survivor services as a result of heightened public awareness. Because the measure is a nonbinding designation without funding or new mandates, it mainly influences behavior, priorities, and public education rather than creating new legal obligations or direct federal spending.
Updated 5 hours ago
Last progress February 10, 2026 (2 weeks ago)