THE BILL ITSELF
HR 8061
Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
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House Resolution
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A resolution designating February 2026 as "Teen Dating
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Violence Awareness and Prevention Month" in Florida.
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WHEREAS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and
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Prevention (CDC), teen dating violence includes four types of
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behavior, physical violence, sexual violence, psychological
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aggression, and stalking, and
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WHEREAS, according to a study funded by the National
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Institute of Justice, technology-facilitated abuse is a growing
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social malady contributing to increased psychological aggression
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among teens, and
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WHEREAS, technology-facilitated abuse includes, but is not
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limited to, cyber extortion, cyberstalking, and doxing, and
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WHEREAS, according to the Cyberbullying Research Center,
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28.1 percent of teens who had been in a romantic relationship at
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some point in the previous year said they had been the victim of
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at least one form of digital dating abuse, and
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WHEREAS, while dating violence, domestic violence, sexual
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violence, and stalking affect individuals regardless of age,
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teens are especially vulnerable, and
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WHEREAS, according to the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey,
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44.3 percent of teens experienced at least one type of violence
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and 15.6 percent of teens experienced at least two types of
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violence, and
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WHEREAS, 1 in 9 female and 1 in 36 male high school
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students reported having experienced sexual dating violence in
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the previous year, and the CDC found that nearly 1 in 11 female
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teens and 1 in 15 male teens experienced physical dating
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violence in the previous year, and
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WHEREAS, according to a National Intimate Partner and
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Sexual Violence Survey of the CDC, 80 percent of female rape
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victims experienced their first rape before the age of 25, and
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almost half experienced their first rape before the age of 18,
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and
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WHEREAS, according to the same National Intimate Partner
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and Sexual Violence Survey, 26 percent of women and 15 percent
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of men who were victims of contact sexual violence, physical
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violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime
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first experienced these or other forms of violence by that
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partner before the age of 18, and
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WHEREAS, approximately 35 percent of women who were raped
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as minors were also raped as adults, and
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WHEREAS, teen dating violence is a preventable public
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health crisis that can negatively impact teens and youth in all
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parts of the United States, and
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WHEREAS, teens who have experienced dating violence are
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more likely than others to think about committing suicide, and
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WHEREAS, the CDC indicates that community factors, such as
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neighborhood collective efficacy, and coordination of resources
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and services among community agencies may reduce an individual's
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risk of perpetrating intimate partner violence, and
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WHEREAS, primary prevention programs are a key part of
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addressing teen dating violence, and many successful examples of
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such programs include education, community outreach, and social
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marketing campaigns that are culturally appropriate, and
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WHEREAS, evidence-based programs have demonstrated that
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teaching adolescent men how to have healthy and nonviolent
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relationships may increase positive bystander behavior and
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prevent men from becoming perpetrators of teen dating violence,
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and
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WHEREAS, the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, as amended
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by the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 and
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reauthorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022,
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includes the SMART Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention
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Act, which improves the coordination and effectiveness of
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programs to address abusive youth relationships, and
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WHEREAS, skills-based assessment and intervention programs
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are necessary for youth victims and abusers, and
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WHEREAS, each district school board is required to adopt
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and implement a dating violence and abuse policy and provide for
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a teen dating violence and abuse component in the health
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education curriculum, NOW, THEREFORE,
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Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of
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Florida:
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That the month of February 2026 is designated as "Teen
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Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month" in Florida to
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increase awareness and education concerning teen dating
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violence.