Austin, Texas — Today the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline (NTDAH) launched the new online application Love Mashup! The LOVE message moviemaker from loveisrespect.org. Users can make quick movies using art and sound elements from the LOVE campaign to spread the message of healthy dating. Love Mashup allows teens to make their own movies, from five seconds up to 30 seconds, by dragging and dropping sound and art clips from The Love Library to send movies to their friends, their Valentine, or anyone for any occasion. The Avon Foundation is funding the social networking interactive campaign through the m.powerment by mark campaign, dedicated to empowering young women and preventing the cycle of dating abuse and partner abuse. “Dating abuse is something that is not normally talked about or discussed, “ said Lauren Conrad, Honorary Co-Chair of the mark girl’s m.powerment campaign. “Love Mashup is a great tool that gives a voice to young women who want to express their feelings and concerns to their friends about recognizing the signs of abuse and how to prevent it before it begins.”
The first week of February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week to raise awareness and increase education of the alarming and often under-reported crime of teen dating violence. “It is critical to raise awareness about teen dating violence, and to let teens know the red flags of an unhealthy relationship, as well as what healthy relationships should be,” said Sheryl Cates, CEO of the NTDAH. “Hitting, slapping, pushing and controlling behavior, like repeated text messages and telling you what to wear and who to hang out with are signs of danger in a relationship.” This week also marks the second anniversary of loveisrespect, the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline. The Helpline and website are designed for teens so they can speak or chat with a peer or adult about their fears and get immediate assistance.
About Loveisrespect
NDVH launched loveisrespect, National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline in 2007, to serve as a source of support and resources for teens involved in dating abuse relationships, their peers, parents, teachers, and friends. The Helpline offers new and innovative services to teens across the country who are experiencing dating abuse and those who are looking to engage in healthy relationships by utilizing technologies that teens use most often: the telephone, web, and chat. Young men and women can anonymously contact trained peer-to-peer advocates by telephone, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. at 1-866-331-9474 or www.loveisrespect.org to chat (IM style).
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Contact:
Retha Lindsey Fielding, APR
(512) 794-1133 Office
(512) 492-2405 Cell
rfielding@tcfv.org