MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — Montgomery County is working to shed light on teen dating violence – an issue too many teens experience and not enough discuss.
It’s something Montgomery County Public Schools alumnus Hannah Reid experienced at age 15.
“At the beginning, I was like, Oh, my partner is just protective over me, when in reality, it was turning into something much worse,” Reid said. “But when you're in it, a lot of times you don't see it. And eventually, it did turn into emotional, physical and sexual abuse over time.”
Reid said she didn’t realize it at the time, but she was exhibiting multiple warning signs, like hiding her phone from friends and family and getting easily startled when someone approached her.
“It just started with little things, little comments about what I wore, my clothes were too tight, who I was even hugging in the hallways,” she said.
Reid said thankfully she got out of the relationship after two years and has since graduated high school and college.
“It's determined what I want to do with my life,” she said. “I now want to be an advocate and help as many young people as I can.”
It’s something that a high amount of teenagers experience. According to the American Psychological Association, one in three adolescents experience dating abuse.
That’s why she’s joining the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s office for RespectFest, a week of virtual and in-person events aimed at educating families on teen dating violence.
“Like so many things that we do here, it's about education. It's not about locking people up,” Montgomery County State’s Attorney, John McCarthy said. “It's trying to with a little bit of education, prevent someone from ever being a victim, demanding respect. And hopefully, in the long run, they'll demand it.”
The goal is to be positive and educate on respect in the hopes that teen dating violence will not turn into adult domestic violence.
Chair of the county’s Domestic Violence Coordinating Council, Debbie Feinstein, said if a student thinks their friend is experiencing dating violence, they should approach them with love – not judgment.
“Really, the messaging is, ‘how can I help you? I am here for you, I'm going to stand beside you, I'm going to tell you what the resources are because I've learned what those resources are,’” Feinstein said. “Let's get you to a trusted adult, you know, and let's have this conversation out in the open, but you have nothing to be ashamed of; nothing is your fault.”
Reid agrees – saying as uncomfortable as that conversation can seem, adult intervention could help pull kids out of dangerous situations much sooner than they’re able to do on their own.
“Just remember to love yourself. We love everyone so much,” Reid said. “Give yourself the love that you're so willing to give everyone else.”
The county is hosting virtual events in English and Spanish through Thursday, with an in-person festival taking place at the Wheaton Recreational Center Sunday afternoon.