Governor Gretchen Whitmer is a lifelong Michigander. She is a lawyer, an educator, former prosecutor, State Representative and Senator. She was the first woman to lead a Senate caucus. But the most important title she boasts is MOM. Inspired by her family, she’s devoted her life to building a stronger Michigan for everyone.
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January 28, 2022
WHEREAS, dating violence perpetrators intentionally use patterns of physical, emotional, sexual, psychological, and/or economic coercion and abuse to control their intimate partners, violating their intimate partners' dignity, security, and psychological and physical well-being; and,
WHEREAS, dating violence perpetrators cause significant and long-lasting trauma to countless women, men, and children of every religion, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, economic and social status; and,
WHEREAS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one in 11 female and about one in 14 male high school students reported experiencing physical dating violence in the last year; and,
WHEREAS, about one in nine female and one in 36 male high school students reported experiencing sexual dating violence in the last year; and,
WHEREAS, only 33 percent of teenagers who were in an abusive relationship told anyone about the abuse; and,
WHEREAS, 26 percent of women and 15 percent of men who were victims of contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime first experienced these or other forms of violence by that partner before age 18; and,
WHEREAS, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Victim Services and the entire state of Michigan are committed to holding dating violence perpetrators accountable and employing interventions to reduce the risk and harm to their victims, including children; and,
WHEREAS, all Michigan residents should work toward ending teen dating violence by seeking education about this issue, empowering young people to develop healthy relationships, assisting victims in accessing the information and supportive services they need, creating better and more resources for young people, instituting effective intervention and prevention policies in schools, and engaging in discussions with family members and peers to promote awareness and prevention of teen dating violence;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim February 2022 as Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month in Michigan.