HOLYOKE, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - Dating violence can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender, or sexual orientation, but the goal is to starting educating people about the warning signs early.

That is the mission of the Hampden District Attorney’s Office and, on Monday, the D.A.’s Community Safety and Outreach Unit presented its “1 in 11: Preventing Dating Violence” program to students at Dean Tech High School in Holyoke.

The 30-minute documentary was created in memory of Kathryn Mauke, a Springfield teen who was tragically killed by her ex-boyfriend in 2015. It aims to show students how to spot the warning signs of an unhealthy relationship as explained by Tina Simmons, the office’s director of domestic violence victim services. “It happens in their community. We know that one in 11 females will experience some type of dating violence while they’re in high school or one in 14 males is the stats for males, so the numbers are there, so it’s important that we get out there and get in front of it and just get them talking and thinking about it and getting the staff thinking about it,” she explained.

If you or someone you know is going through dating violence, you can CLICK HERE for a list of resources.

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