Sarah's Inn hosts events for Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

Throughout the month of February, Sarah's Inn's Prevention Team and Youth Committee are working to raise awareness around the realities of teen dating violence and promoting healthy relationships by educating youth, their families, and communities.

On Feb. 10 and 11, Sarah's Inn will be hosting a two-part virtual panel series for parents and teenagers to have a candid conversation that focuses on what dating looks like for teens today, dating violence, and how the media can influence our understanding of what relationships look like.

Panelists will include Sarah's Inn staff and community partners who will answer your questions on teen dating. Advance registration required and can be completed at sarahsinn.org.

Additionally, in February Sarah's Inn is launching the Youth Voice Award. Youth have a voice. We want to hear it. High school students are encouraged to submit a song, dance, video, poem, essay, artwork, or other form of expression to show their ideas, experiences, and thoughts around relationship violence. All submissions are due on March 15.

Sarah's Inn is a community-based organization whose mission is to improve the lives of those affected by domestic violence and to break the cycle of violence for future generations. Their services include crisis intervention, community education, and violence prevention programs for youth. Sarah's Inn provides comprehensive services for families affected by domestic violence so that they get the support they need to find safety, rebuild their lives, and heal. Last year alone, the agency served over 25,000 women, men, children and families. This year, the agency is celebrating 40 years of service to the community. Sarah's Inn was founded in 1980 by a group of concerned Oak Park and River Forest residents, Sarah's Inn works throughout the socioeconomically diverse region of Chicago's West Side neighborhoods and Western suburbs.

To learn more, visit www.sarahsinn.org.

The agency has since grown to become one of the largest and most comprehensive domestic violence agencies serving Chicago and 22 surrounding West Cook County suburban communities. The agency currently operates with its hub in Forest Park, and seven off-site locations through partner agencies and area courthouses throughout Chicago and West Cook County.