A 4th-year Bachelor of Arts in Communication student from the University of St. La Salle is the project lead of Loving You is RED.
This advocacy by Sophia Charisse Villachica seeks to unravel the signs of teen dating violence and promote healthy relationships. It is part of her requirement for the subject Special Project, in which communicators apply everything they had known during their stay in the Communication department.
Inspired by Taylor Swift’s song Red, and how toxic relationship behaviors are also called “red flags”, she hopes that teens would be informed about the signs of teen dating violence, something that Sophia wished she had learned when she was a teenager.
“I have often heard stories and experiences from family and friends suffering from dating violence during their teenage years. I felt helpless knowing I could only listen to them and not know how to help them get through the pain that they felt during that moment. It was a problem that bothered me for such a long time.” she said.
Now given the opportunity to spread awareness about Teen Dating Violence, she wants to help teenagers through the different initiatives of her advocacy in collaboration with the University of St. La Salle Basic Education Unit Guidance Services Center, and the Junior High School Peer Facilitators.
However rarely discussed in the Philippine context, she wishes to put the issue to the forefront and reach more people who are in need of knowledge and support when it comes to dating violence. (PR)