Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month: Hanna's Story

Dear Bob,

When Hannah first came to YES she favored skinny jeans, ballet flats and as much make-up as she could get away with in an effort to look like a 16 years old, rather than the 14 year old that she was. 'I used to tell my Mom everything would be okay with my boyfriend Brad if she would just butt out,' she says. 'But things were far from okay.'

Brad was showing the classic signs of an abuser - isolating Hannah from friends and family, telling her he was the only one who truly understood her, pressuring her to have sex, and using anger to threaten and control. 'He was 17 and had dropped out of high school. He seemed like such a grown up. He wanted me to quit school too. He talked about starting a family.'

One night Hannah came home crying and bruised after a fight, which tripped alarm bells for her parents. But Hannah wasn't ready to let go. Hannah's mother turned to YES, insisting on counseling for Hannah. Hannah began learning about healthy relationships and both Hannah and her parents were given the tools to empower Hannah to safely stand-up to, and eventually leave Brad.

'I thought I loved Brad and nothing was going to change that. But I was in the dark. So many girls like me need to learn about healthy relationships. Without YES I'm certain I would have been another high school drop-out, teen mother or victim of domestic violence.

This month is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. In honor of kids like Hannah, I'd like to thank you for being a part of a community that cares about girls at-risk for teen dating and domestic violence and for all the kids and families who get the help they need from YES.

National Teen Dating Violence Website:  http://www.teendvmonth.org/

Sincerely,

By Patti Skelton-McGougan
Executive Director, YES!
Youth Eastside Services
(with drop-in centers at Redmond's Family Resource Center, Crossroads, Kirkland, and Sammamish)