09/11/2023
WATCH: Jewish Cleveland Helps Teens Prevent Dating Violence
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KNOW ABUSETM was established in 2001, when employees at Federation beneficiary agency Jewish Family Service Association (JFSA) were approached by adult domestic violence survivors. They told their JFSA social workers if they had learned about signs to look out for as teens, they may not have stayed in - or even gotten into these abusive relationships. From that, JFSA began the process of creating a program for schools in the Greater Cleveland community to teach students in our Jewish Day Schools and public schools about healthy romantic relationships and friendships.
KNOW ABUSETM has two different models. One model is peer-led and the other is led by college interns. Both models have proven to be successful in teaching healthy relationship habits.
At Mandel JDS, a beneficiary of the Federation, the eighth graders get trained to teach the seventh graders in this peer led model. “I think [the program] teaches such an important topic,” said Alma, a student at Mandel JDS. “I really enjoyed it because we are educating [the younger students] in a way that they can understand.”
To find out more about KNOW ABUSETM , contact Samantha Clarke at sclarke@jfsa-cleveland.org or 216-378-2796.
