H.Res. 1052

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1052 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 1052

Expressing support for designation of the month of February 2026 as 
``National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month''.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 10, 2026

Ms. Moore of Wisconsin (for herself, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. Fitzpatrick, and 
Mrs. Kim) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

RESOLUTION

Expressing support for designation of the month of February 2026 as 
``National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month''.

Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (in this 
resolution referred to as the ``CDC''), teen dating violence includes 4 
types of behavior: (1) physical violence, (2) sexual violence, (3) 
psychological aggression, and (4) stalking;
Whereas, according to the National Institute of Justice and Statistics, 
technology-facilitated abuse is a growing social malady contributing to 
increased psychological aggression among teens;
Whereas technology-facilitated abuse includes, but is not limited to, cyber 
extortion, cyberstalking, and doxing;
Whereas, according to the Cyberbullying Research Center, over one quarter (28.1 
percent) of teens who had been in a romantic relationship at some point 
in the previous year said they had been the victim of at least one form 
of digital dating abuse;
Whereas, while dating violence, domestic violence, sexual violence, and stalking 
affect individuals regardless of age, teens are especially vulnerable;
Whereas, according to the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, almost half (44.3 
percent) of teens experienced at least one type of violence and 1 in 7 
(15.6 percent) of teens experienced at least two types of violence;
Whereas 1 in 9 female and 1 in 36 male high school students report having 
experienced sexual dating violence in the last year;
Whereas the CDC reported that nearly 1 in 11 female teens and about 1 in 15 male 
teens reported experiencing physical dating violence in the last year;
Whereas teaching teens about the consequences of intimate partner violence and 
supporting the development of healthy, respectful, and nonviolent 
relationships have the potential to decrease teen dating violence in 
future generations;
Whereas educating middle school students and their parents about the importance 
of building healthy relationships and preventing teen dating violence is 
key to deterring abuse before it begins;
Whereas, according to a National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey of 
the CDC, 80 percent of female rape victims experienced their first rape 
before the age of 25, and almost half experienced their first rape 
before the age of 18;
Whereas, according to the same National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence 
Survey, 26 percent of women and 15 percent of men who were victims of 
contact sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate 
partner in their lifetime first experienced these or other forms of 
violence by that partner before the age of 18;
Whereas approximately 35 percent of women who were raped as minors were also 
raped as adults;
Whereas developing healthy relationship practices and standards in youth under 
the age of 18 can be critical to eliminating sexual violence and other 
forms of intimate partner violence;
Whereas teen dating violence is a preventable public health crisis that can 
negatively impact teens and youth in all parts of the United States;
Whereas teens who have experienced dating violence are more than twice as likely 
as others to consider suicide;
Whereas the CDC indicates that there are several community factors, such as 
poverty, low capital, such as lack of institutions, relationships, and 
norms that shape a community's social interactions, poor neighborhood 
support and cohesion, weak community sanctions against intimate partner 
violence, and high alcohol outlet density, that place individuals at 
greater risk for perpetrating intimate partner violence;
Whereas the CDC also indicates that community factors, such as neighborhood 
collective efficacy, and coordination of resources and services among 
community agencies, may reduce an individual's risk of perpetrating 
intimate partner violence;
Whereas primary prevention programs are a key part of addressing teen dating 
violence, and many successful examples of such programs include 
education, community outreach, and social marketing campaigns that are 
culturally appropriate;
Whereas evidence-based programs such as the ``Coaching Boys Into Men'' program 
have demonstrated that teaching adolescent men how to have healthy and 
nonviolent relationships may increase positive bystander behavior and 
prevent men from becoming perpetrators of teen dating violence;
Whereas the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline, a program of the National 
Domestic Violence Hotline, provides 24/7/365 confidential phone, text, 
and chat support to teens and young people nationwide by trained 
advocates;
Whereas the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, as amended by the Violence 
Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 and the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2022, includes the SMART Teen Dating Violence 
Awareness and Prevention Act, which improves the coordination and 
effectiveness of programs to address abusive youth relationships;
Whereas skilled assessment and intervention programs are necessary for youth 
victims and abusers; and
Whereas the establishment of the month of February 2026 as National Teen Dating 
Violence Awareness and Prevention Month will benefit schools, 
communities, and families regardless of socioeconomic status, race, and 
sex: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) supports the designation of ``National Teen Dating 
Violence Awareness and Prevention Month'';
(2) supports communities in empowering teens to develop 
healthy relationships throughout their lives;
(3) recognizes the national impact of teen dating violence 
on public health and its specific and disproportionate impact 
on young women; and
(4) calls on the people of the United States, including 
youth, parents, schools, law enforcement, State and local 
officials, nonprofit organizations, and interested groups to 
observe National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention 
Month with appropriate programs and activities that promote 
awareness and prevention of teen dating violence in communities 
across the country.
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