Back in February SafeLives shared #TalkaboutToxic, a survey to understand teens’ thoughts around love, abuse and relationships. 51% of the young people surveyed said they wanted advice on what was and wasn’t ok in a relationship.
Using our findings (which you can read here) and in close collaboration with young people, SafeLives and communications specialists On Our Radar have worked to create a pilot mobile platform: Draw the Line.
Draw the Line has been designed to support young people in understanding where the line is in relationships between healthy and abusive behaviours, providing clarity where the line seems blurred. Is it OK when your boyfriend pressures you to have sex? Or reads your text messages?
Draw the Line captures anonymous short stories submitted by young people about how they have been impacted by abuse in relationships, and asks participants to draw a virtual line where they identify toxic and harmful behaviours. Users get the chance to compare their own line with that of their peers and find out how domestic abuse professionals interpret the content.
In a world where teenagers tell us they feel overlooked and unheard, we want to listen, giving young people a chance to share their own story as well as learn from those of others.
Draw the Line includes clear signposting to 24/7 safeguarding support, so that teenagers can explore this information safely, as well as advice about how to support friends who are experiencing abuse.
Want to see it for yourself? Have a look at drawtheline.uk on your smartphone.
Safe Lives are launching the pilot mobile platform nationally this summer. Please share it, so that teenagers can better recognise where to draw the line in a relationship and keep themselves safe?