The Regional Secretariat for Social Solidarity, through the Regional Directorate for Social Solidarity, starts today the eighth edition of the Regional Campaign on Dating Violence Prevention. This initiative aims to promote healthy relationships and prevent violence in intimate relationships among young people.
 
The project was created by the Centre of Initiatives for the Prevention and Combat to Domestic Violence of the "Santa Casa da Misericórdia" of Praia da Vitória in partnership with Novo Dia Association. It will be implemented on all islands of the Azores under the 2nd Regional Plan for Prevention and Combat to Domestic and Gender Violence.
 
This campaign, which runs until July, involves a number of activities, including the "Violentometer" project, developed in partnership with UMAR-Açores and the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro. This universally recognised project defends an intervention based on the scientific evaluation of the behaviour of young people in the Region.
 
Likewise, there is a planned presentation of the study entitled "Discrimination and Violence: Results of the survey to young students attending secondary and vocational training school in the Autonomous Region of the Azores." It was developed by the Novo Dia Association in partnership with the Regional Directorate for Social Solidarity, Education and Youth under the "Before you Discriminate me, Know me!" project. The aim is to disseminate the results of the prevention efforts carried out among the youth population in the Azores.
 
During this period, there are also plans to strengthen partnerships with the Regional Directorate for Education and Sport for the participation in the 29th edition of the School Sports Games as well as with the Ministry of National Defence in order to include the Regional Campaign on Dating Violence Prevention in the celebrations of the 14th National Defence Day.
 
Logistic support to all these activities will be provided in partnership with the Regional Centres for Prevention and Combat to Domestic Violence, the Operational Centre of Integrated Support for Women at Risk of Faial Island, the network of Integrated Support to Women of Terceira Island and the network of Integrated Support to Women at Risk of S. Miguel Island.
 
This campaign, now in its eighth edition, has been marked by constant innovation in terms of programmes and methodologies, adapting itself to the characteristics and needs of the young Azorean population. Moreover, it seeks to constantly reinforce partnerships between the various governmental departments, institutions and organisations of the civil society in a coordinated and consistent work towards the prevention and combat to dating violence.