This week I found myself looking through videos on youtube out of curiosity. I was really wondering if I shared a platform with any Miss America preliminary winners-- and I found two!
Miss Tuscaloosa's Outstanding Teen 2018, Laura Grace Henry, at the age of fifteen is already speaking up on the behalf of family members and friends to say how parents may miss the issue of teen dating violence/abuse. This one is much more recent than I first thought, and it is wonderful to see someone so young already know the signs and how to avoid any kind of situation that could turn abusive. Moreover, she's in a position to really help the teenagers around her and I think that is incredible.
The second video is older by a few years. Miss Uintah County 2013, Rylee Harris, spoke on teen dating abuse as her platform. She had a personal experience with it, and I really found hers impactful to myself. I was still in a relationship with my abuser in 2013, and I have to wonder if hearing the words of this woman have changed me. I think someone like her has a lot of impact and it only makes me want to work harder towards my goal!
It all really makes me realize this: girls like us can make a difference. Any girl who has been hurt or abused can make a real difference in this world, and that's amazing.
From 2013 and into 2018, teen dating abuse is still a hot topic and yet... we hardly hear about it. I want to thank these two crowned ladies for speaking up in the past and the present-- and hopefully in the future! Moreover, I think it is amazing that these stories were covered by local news stations. The further the word can be spread about this issue, the better!
If you know any organization (scouts, church, etc.) that would like to have me speak on Teen Dating Abuse, please contact me through my website here with your email address. To keep up with updates on this blog please feel free to hit the subscribe button in the top right corner to be alerted to new posts every Monday. Have something you would like to know more about in the future? Leave a comment and I'll do my best to answer right away! Remember, the first step in solving the problem of teen dating abuse is awareness!
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