Nonprofit Launched to Combat Teen Dating Violence
SAN JOSE (KCBS) - A Santa Clara County nonprofit aimed at stopping teen dating violence was formally unveiled Thursday.
HurtNo1, Inc. seek to "educate young adults and provide information and resources to promote safety and alternatives to violent, abusive, and controlling behavior in intimate relationships," the organization's website reads.
Nonprofit Launched to Combat Teen Dating Violence
According to founder and executive director Sheila Badon, part of the problem is getting teens to acknowledge what is happening and what is lacking in their relationships.
"What has to happen in a healthy relationship? Trust, communication, compassion and they're looking at me like 'oh my god,' and I'm like 'these are the things that you have to have,'" said Badon.
"They're not going to report it," said Badon said of teen dating violence. "They're not going to say 'oh I'm in an abusive relationship.' There is so much shame associated with this behavior."
Badon said the abuse could start as something easily dismissed, but if not addressed can begin to snowball.
"Disrespecting mostly, name calling, the typical physical abuse, punching, slapping, yelling and screaming and all of this," said Badon. "And when you don't know how to respect someone in an intimate relationship it's going to go to disrespecting one another, it's going to go to name calling and then one thing's going to lead to another and then they're going to start hitting one another.
"And then at that point you're so emotionally involved, you don't know how to get out of that relationship."
HurtNo1 is funded by private and corporate donations.
(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
