We teach about healthy relationships at S.W.I.M
The tragic murder of 15-year-old Elianne Andam highlights the fact that far too many girls and women are losing their lives to this kind of violence. Elianne was killed on her way to school in Croydon.
A 17-year-old boy has been charged with her murder and awaits a plea hearing in December.
Alarmingly, adolescent girls are even more at risk of intimate partner violence (IPV), than adult women.
Young women aged 15 to 19 are the most affected by IPV.
By the time they are 19 years old, almost one in four in 4 adolescent girls, who have been in a relationship, have already been physically, sexually, or psychologically abused by a partner, according to the World Health Organisation.
Most worryingly, statistics for those under 16 are not recorded.
We at Strength With In Me (S.W.I.M), believe domestic and intimate partner violence has reached epidemic proportions in the UK.
Research from Advance Charity, has found that 91 per cent of young women and girls say their past relationships have impacted their mental health, with controlling and unhealthy relationships cited in many cases.
S.W.I.M’s approach to combatting domestic abuse centres upon teaching healthy relationships to help young people, recognise what’s right within relationships, so that they can avoid toxic relationships.
We are failing our young women by not treating domestic abuse as a national health crisis.
We desperately need a co-ordinated response from the criminal justice system and Government and a societal shift in attitudes towards violence against women and girls.
S.W.I.M continues to work to combat the epidemic that is damaging and taking young girls’ lives.
We will continue to stand with Elianne’s family in mourning. We send our condolences to them at this very sad time.
We understand that as individuals we cannot control the behaviours and actions of others, however, at S.W.I.M we dare to believe that we have within us the strength to be well equipped upon entering any kind of relationship, to confidently ascertain what we are worthy and deserving of and to actively seek out positive relationships.
Dr Diahanne Rhiney, founder of (S.W.I.M)
Picture: Pixabay/Ulrike Mai
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