Relationship Smarts PLUS 4.0 Classic was created to help teens learn how to make wise choices about relationships, dating, partners, and sex. It utilizes a 12-lesson curriculum to address life skills, healthy relationships, dating violence, and pregnancy prevention, all which can be used with students to increase their knowledge and awareness of sexual violence prevention, their skills to implement prevention programs, and their engagement in prevention programming efforts. This curriculum offers knowledge of what a healthy relationship is and isn’t, as well as insights and skill building for handling the early chemistry of attraction and choosing partners. Teens learn the building blocks of healthy relationships and are encouraged to identify relationship qualities they find personally important. The program builds teens’ awareness of the “red flags” of unhealthy and abusive relationships and ways to exit those relationships safely. Teens are encouraged to set boundaries and practice drawing-the-line-of-respect at the first sign of disrespect in a relationship. This primary prevention strategy focuses on building protective factors to reduce the risk of victimization.
This project was supported with financial assistance as a grant from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.