What you need to know
Titled “Love Like That,” the art gallery will be the second one hosted by the nonprofit following the success of 2023’s gallery, which saw 50 submissions from community members, BATP Program Director Tiffani Prosper said.
The mission is to raise awareness about teen dating violence and highlight the nonprofit’s services to local teenagers, parents and educators who work with teenagers, Prosper said.
The center is able to connect both teenage victims and secondary parties, such as a family member, with counseling, educational, legal and housing resources, Prosper said.
The details
Those interested in submitting art for the gallery must do so by 6 p.m. Feb. 19 at either Bay Area Turning Point, 210 S. Walnut St., Webster, or 2202 S. Main St., Anahuac.
All submitted artworks will be showcased at the gallery, which will be held Feb. 21 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Webster Recreation Center.
Diving in deeper
According to a 2020 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, nearly 1 in 11 female and about 1 in 15 male high school students report having experienced physical dating violence in the previous year.
“A lot of people are not knowledgeable of [what] teen dating violence is,” Prosper said. “It's more common and has a higher percentage of victims than most people know.”
The age of the victims might surprise some, Prosper said. Prosper said she hopes the gallery will fill in some of the gaps in understanding about how common teen dating violence is and who it affects.
“It can happen to anyone,” Prosper said. “The knowledge that they will acquire from coming and participating in the event—we hope that they take that back into their communities.”
One more thing
While the event doesn’t have a fundraising goal, BATP always welcomes donations, which can be made through the organization’s website.
For more information about the event or submission guidelines, contact Melissa Prentice, BATP outreach, education and prevention manager, at [email protected] or 281-338-7600.
