Spreading awareness about dating violence and promoting respect in relationships can make a lasting impact. The U.S. Air Force Academy’s Integrated Prevention Team raises awareness about dating violence and advocates for healthy relationships among cadets and military families. Young adult dating awareness is an effort focused on education, prevention, and advocacy to stop dating abuse before it starts.

“Young adult dating awareness is crucial because communication and connection are central to both risk and protective factors for interpersonal and self-directed violence,” said Bailey Klinger, Academy Integrated Prevention Team specialist. “Our installation includes a significant population of young adults—over 4,000 cadets and cadet candidates—entering adulthood. Our permanent party members and their families are also stakeholders, as reflected in our housing community and youth center.”

The Integrated Prevention Team at the Academy addresses dating violence and promotes relationship health. Their mission is to prevent interpersonal and self-directed violence by providing education, resources, and support to reduce risks and enhance resilience across the community.

The team’s efforts include:

– Enhancing resilience and well-being across the installation

– Managing climate survey results to inform Command Climate

– Assessments and the Comprehensive Integrated Primary Prevention Plan

– Overseeing suicide prevention training in collaboration with a contracted training team

Their focus areas include family violence, workplace violence, suicide prevention, alcohol abuse/misuse prevention, and prohibited abusive or harmful acts.

“Our mission is to reduce the risk and likelihood of harmful behaviors while increasing the resilience of our installation and community,” said Klinger. “We work as a prevention program management and evaluation team, coordinating with specialized helping agencies to track trends and tackle initiatives.”

How to Get Involved

Here are some ways to get involved with young adult dating awareness initiatives:

– Educate yourself and others about the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships.

– Engage in conversations with peers and loved ones about respect and boundaries.

– Attend or organize events that raise awareness about dating violence prevention.

– Support survivors by connecting them to resources and services.