To help adults spot the signs and symptoms of a youth’s unhealthy romantic relationship, the Florida Department of Health in Marion County is sponsoring a free Teen Dating Violence workshop and dinner. The event is scheduled from 5:30–8 p.m. Feb. 15 at the Webber Center at the College of Central Florida, 3001 S.W. College Rd. in Ocala. Dinner will be served, and giveaways will be provided.
With Miss New Bedford coming up, Ashley Bendiksen encourages young women to enter the competition while putting to rest a few myths about the pageant world.
NEW BEDFORD While the pandemic may not have increased domestic violence and teen dating violence, it has made it more visible, Angela Marandola said.
Marandola is the programs manager for the Katie Brown Education Program, a non-profit organization that promotes respectful relationships by teaching relationship violence prevention.
The pandemic has kept teenagers at home, with the exception of hybrid learning, away from friends, but more importantly, significant others. When COVID first hit, my thoughts instantly went to the issue of domestic violence, said Ashley Bendiksen, survivor and abuse prevention national speaker.
Mental Illness Helpline
There isn t much concrete information about teen dating violence, as many cases go unreported, said Marandola.