By Amy Wolff
Photos courtesy of BLOOM365
Teen dating violence statistics are staggering. According to a 2018 Centers for Disease Control study one in 11 females, one in 15 males, and one in four LGBTQ+ high school students have experienced physical dating violence in the last year. And roughly one in nine females, one in 36 males, and one in three LGBTQ+ high school students have experienced sexual dating violence.
For Valley nonprofit group BLOOM365, stopping abuse at the root of the problem and preventing dating and domestic violence before it begins, with a special focus on 11 to 24-year-olds, is the ultimate mission.
One of the most unique things about BLOOM365 is its Peer Advocate program. It includes roughly 40 local high school and college students who are trained to recognize the signs of abuse, respond appropriately, and reframe conversations and actions to cultivate a culture of safety, empathy, respect, and consent.
Harshitha Ram, a sophomore at Pinnacle High School, became a peer advocate to be part of something bigger and help create meaningful change in the lives of her fellow students.
“The work we do at BLOOM365 is something I am very passionate about, and I strongly believe in ending the cycle of abuse in my generation,” she says. “Through the peer advocacy program, I’ve learned how to create an impact within my school and community.
BLOOM365 educates young people on healthy versus unhealthy relationships and helps build skills to avoid controlling, abusive, and violent behaviors both now and later in life. The organization also provides trauma-informed emotional support, counseling, and safety services to enhance healing and well-being for young people who have been victimized.
“My work as a peer advocate is dear to my heart because it means that I can make a difference in the lives and experiences of every person around me,” says Clara McAdams, a junior at Barry Goldwater High School. “When a peer comes to me and discloses interpersonal violence or toxicity in their relationship, the first step I take is to listen. I give them an outlet to express their emotions, fears, and concerns. I strive to alleviate the silence they have felt in their relationship.”
Peer advocates participate in an immersive and highly engaging training that educates young people ages 13 to 24 years old about the risk factors, red flags, and root causes of domestic, sexual, teen-dating violence, and bullying and how to prevent them. Through the program teens and young adults gain skills they can use to support peers who have experienced unhealthy, controlling, toxic, or abusive friendships or relationships. They also learn steps they can take to create a safe space for survivors to seek help and perpetrators to unlearn abusive behaviors.
“For me, my goal is to always be empathetic and try to understand other people’s perspectives and experiences,” says Nidhi Konanur, a sophomore at Mountain Ridge High School.
After completing the Peer Advocate Academy, participants can apply for a paid Lead Peer Advocate internship position to uproot abuse on their school campuses.
To learn more about the Peer Advocate program and BLOOM365, visit bloom365.org.
