February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month (TDVAM). Dating violence is more common than people think, especially among teens and young adults: one in three teens in the US will experience physical, sexual, or emotional abuse from someone they’re in a relationship with before they become adults, and nearly half (43%) of college women report experiencing violent or abusive dating behaviors.
In honor of TDVAM we did a quick interview with Ryan Green, Miss Nashville’s Outstanding Teen and long-time supporter of our center’s mission. She has dedicated her pageantry platform to raising awareness for Teen Dating Violence and Intimate Partner Violence and runs the Instagram Account @RelationshipGoalsOrg.
For more information on Teen Dating Violence Prevention, Healthy Relationships, and more, you can also visit Love is Respect.
Why do you think Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month is important and relevant right now?
“Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month is extremely important and relevant today among our youth which experiences unbelievably high rates of rape and sexual assault. Dating violence is not nearly talked about enough among our youth as it should be, and as the years have passed, our definition of how we should respect our partner has changed. Domestic violence has a negative impact on the wellbeing of our generation. Unfortunately, abusive relationships are usually hidden behind closed doors so they are often difficult to spot amongst my peers, but I hope as I spread my message that the right person will fall into my path.”
Can you tell us about a time that you recognized any signs of Teen Dating Violence in your own life/at school/with friends?
“As a senior in high school, I am surrounded by people in relationships that appear to be happy. However, I’ve noticed how quickly and easily teens can become obsessive or possessive, not realizing that the obsessiveness or possessiveness has gone too far, and that no healthy boundaries were set, or that they have lost themselves in the process. Teens are at a critical age in which they are still trying to discover who they are going to become. I often see that many teens irrationally rely on their partner regarding every aspect of their life. Losing one’s identity is never a good sign of a healthy relationship and from there it only goes downhill.”
What prompted you to start the IG account Relationship Goals?
“I hold the title of Miss Nashville’s Outstanding Teen, a part of the Miss America Organization. I had to pick a platform I was passionate about to advocate for amongst my community. In 2018, my sister lost a friend to domestic violence. This incident showed me how tragically these situations could end. I wanted to prevent this from happening in the future to my generation and those to come, so I created #RealtionshipGoalsOrg to educate teens on the importance of maintaining an emotionally strong, respectable relationship to prevent domestic violence. I educate teens on the signs of abuse, so they are aware of them.”
Do you think Gen Z is inherently more comfortable shedding light and openly discussing societal issues that have previously been taboo, such as sexual assault, dating violence, and intimate partner violence?
“I truly give the Miss America Organization so much credit for giving me the opportunity to use my voice to speak out about such a serious topic. The Miss America Organization encourages young women to make a difference in this world and to empower one another. With that being said, I am beyond proud of our generation and extremely thankful for the opportunities that are given to us. Although domestic violence isn’t nearly talked about enough, I do believe that I am constantly seeing a change among my generation’s willingness to speak up about such topics. Gen Z is a body of change makers who uses our newly developed platforms, such as social media, to speak out about serious topics and broaden our audience.”
Do you think trusted adults (parents, teachers, coaches) are doing a good job discussing consent, healthy relationships, warning signs, dating?
“In my opinion, I do feel as if adults could do a better job normalizing such conversations. Relationships aren’t talked about in schools as much as they should be considering it is a focus of most young adults. If #RelationshipGoalsOrg clubs were spread to multiple schools throughout Tennessee, I do believe we would witness a change among statistics of teen dating violence.”
What do you think parents of young teens should know about teen dating violence prevention?
“Parents should openly talk about consent and healthy relationships beginning at a young age and willingly talk about it with their child at any point in time. Make young teens aware of the red flags in a relationship. Parents should realize that a child needs to feel comfortable coming to them if they are witnessing any problems. Always build up their confidence and remind them how worthy they are of a respectful, loving partner. Be aware of the relationship your child is in and make sure your child is setting boundaries with their partner. Also keep in mind that your relationship sets an example for their future relationships.”
