Austin Campaign Features Members of the Local Community
Austin, TX — Today Break the Cycle, the nation’s leading teen & college dating violence prevention organization is launching our Hear My Voice Campaign in Austin to raise awareness among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) youth ages 14-24.
This is the first public awareness campaign with a national focus on the LGBTQ youth community designed not only to raise awareness, but also to empower youth to stand up for their rights as human beings and say they will no longer tolerate their community accepting any type of violence or abuse. This campaign was created to give voice to an extremely marginalized community who face a significant lack of resources helping to end abusive relationships.
Break the Cycle wants everyone in the LGBTQ community to know there is help available. Break the Cycle engages, educates and empowers all teens and young adults nationwide to prevent and end abusive relationships.
“Statistics show that one in three teens will experience abuse in a dating relationship and more than two-thirds of them will never report it to anyone. The numbers are even higher among the LGBTQ community because they feel they don’t know where to turn for help,” said Eric Anderson, Director of Youth Programs for Break the Cycle. “Break the Cycle’s depth of expertise in this field spans more than 15 years of serving teens and young adults on the ground, in schools and in communities across all fifty states. Our hands-on prevention programs aim to reduce these numbers and let members of the LGBTQ community know we are here to help.”
The new campaign is partnering with companies in Austin, domestic violence and gay rights groups across Texas and with L Style G Style magazine and features members of the Austin LGBTQ community.
“Hear My Voice” features information focusing on healthy relationships and includes targeted print and online resources that both youth and adults can use to avoid, diagnose and escape unhealthy relationships. It also explains state laws around dating/domestic abuse, seeking counseling or legal assistance and the contact information for local service providers who can give immediate help in Austin.
http://hearmyvoice.breakthecycle.org/
This campaign launched in Los Angeles and Washington DC and expanded to Austin and Chicago this year. The campaign was made possible by a two- year grant from the U.S. Department of Justice- Office for Victims of Crime, Verizon Wireless and the Geffen Foundation.
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About Break the Cycle
Break the Cycle believes everyone has the right to safe and healthy relationships. As the leading voice for teens on the issue of dating violence, Break the Cycle advocates for policy and legislative changes that will better protect the rights and promote the health of teens nationwide. Engaging, educating and empowering youth through prevention and intervention programs, Break the Cycle helps young people identify and build healthy relationships. For more information, please visit www.breakthecycle.org.