287 days

Rosa Golijan

Educational app simulates relationship abuse

Teen dating violence and abuse has unfortunately existed for as long as anyone can remember, but — thanks to technological innovations — it has evolved a great deal in recent years. Teens as well as their parents may not fully understand what qualifies as abuse now, the effects it can have, how to stop it, and what warnings signs there might be.

That's where a program called Love Is Not Abuse comes in. It is part of a teen dating abuse and domestic violence advocacy effort begun by Liz Claiborne and it seeks to provide educational tools and support while raising awareness of related issues.

And one of the ways the program will raise soon awareness is by releasing an iPhone app which demonstrates exactly how damaging digital dating abuse can be. Among other things, the app will expose a user to increasingly menacing texts, emails, and phone calls similar to those a victim of relationship abuse may experience.

The app will also include "facts on dating abuse, warning signs, tips on how to talk to teens, and immediate, concrete steps to take if [you] suspect [your] child is involved in an abusive relationship." It will be available through the Apple App Store on August 10.

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Rosa Golijan writes about tech here and there. She's obsessed with Twitter and loves to be liked on Facebook. Oh, and she can be found on Google+, too.