The DELTA Safe Dating Project (Domestic Violence Enhancement and Leadership Through Alliances)
Since the 2003 - 2004 school year, the DELTA Safe Dating Project has been providing the following services at the partner school, John Dickinson High School:
- Implementation of “Healthy Relationships” curriculum in the health classes on a weekly basis. Including lessons regarding gender roles and stereotyping, media input, communication skills and styles, boundaries and self-worth, respect for self and others and how to be a courageous bystander.
- The “Maddie & Paul” interactive theater performance for all health students.
- Advisement of a student-led extracurricular club. Teens Talking About Relationships in which students to learn more about relationships and develop activities and events to educate their peers.
- Teacher trainings on the issue of intimate partner violence, primary prevention as well as ways to incorporate violence prevention information into their respective classes.
- Newsletters for parents to inform them about the activities that are occurring at school.
Why a Safe Dating Project?
- Studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that teen relationship violence is a serious and pervasive problem in our society. In order to prevent teen dating abuse, research shows that it is not enough to just educate youth about how to avoid abusive relationships. Rather, it is crucial to supply youth with the skills necessary to develop and maintain healthy relationships while providing them with the capacity to discern the societal norms that promote relationship violence.
The project is provided by:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- The Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence
- The Delaware Domestic Violence Task Force (DVTF)
- CHILD, Inc.
- City Theater Company
A component of this project:
- In 2005, The Prevention Subcommittee of the DVTF combined forces with the Prevention Subcommittee of the Victim’s Rights Task Force (VRTF) to be ambassadors for Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) prevention by proactively engaging on individual, community and policy levels. The committee, which meets monthly, has developed the "Developing Healthy Relationships" curriculum and provides trainings/workshops for teachers and other professionals on intimate partner violence, primary prevention and our curriculum.
For more information, contact Jennifer Penoza at jpenoza@childinc.com or (302) 254-5528.