The Hard Truth About Teen Dating

Teen dating violence is widespread with serious long-term and short-term effects. Many teens do not report the violence because they are afraid to tell their friends and family. The 2017 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey revealed that 8% of high school students reported physical violence, and 7% reported that they experienced sexual violence by a dating partner. Likewise, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that approximately 26% of females and nearly 15% of males first experienced some form of violence (contact sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking) by an intimate partner before the age of 18.

OIC of South Florida (OIC-SFL) is taking an active role in Prevention , Unity , Safety , and Healing . OIC-SFL’s Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) program serves 1,375 youth (ages 10-22) throughout Broward County annually. SRAE seeks to educate youth on how to refrain from extra-marital sexual activity and to prevent other youth risk behaviors – like teen dating violence.

OIC-SFL provides youth with structured environments aimed at increasing their academic proficiency, emotional and social development, decision-making skills, and family strengthening. The SRAE program is administered using two evidence-based curricula: Love Notes v2.0 and Relationship Smarts Plus . In addition to the chosen curricula, we offer our youth and families a holistic approach that includes:

• Individual Case Management
• Healthy Relationship Coaching
• Career Preparedness and Internships
• Youth Leadership Council

The core of OIC-SFL’s Youth & Family Services Division programs is to prepare tomorrow’s leaders for career readiness and to equip them with the essential tools to develop healthy relationships, set and pursue goals, and make healthy choices.

OIC of South Florida (OIC-SFL) is a beacon of hope through its ability to serve as a community-based workforce, job development, and training organization. OIC-SFL focuses on the unemployed, underemployed, unskilled, and those with barriers to self-sufficiency due to past indiscretions in their background via our various Adult Workforce Development initiatives. OIC-SFL also seeks to proactively address the vicious cycles of poverty via our Youth & Family Services Division. By partnering with local schools and government agencies, OIC-SFL is able to successfully provide career awareness and readiness programming annually to over 7,000 students in middle school and high school.

For more information about OIC of South Florida, please contact:
Adrinia Woods, Director of Communications & Strategic Partnerships
awoods@oicsfl.org or 954.563.3535, ext. 206

Opportunities Industrialization Centers
Broward Office: 3407 NW 9th Avenue I Suite 100 I Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 33309
Miami Campus: 7900 NW 27th Ave., #200 I Miami, FL 33147
Office (954) 563-3535 I Fax (954) 563-5225