Scrolling through your Facebook newsfeed can be an interesting and entertaining time. You have your older relatives that like every single one of your pictures. There is that mom that shares, every and I mean every detail of her entire life. There are those random people you went to high school with who this it is socially acceptable to use the N word in their statuses (it's not). There are friends pictures. There are those mesmerizing videos of people cooking food that make it look so easy and make me incredibly hungry. Recently when scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed, I came across an advertisement titled The Love Labyrinth created by The One Love Foundation.
After watching this it dawned on me, I write articles about love and relationships, both about friends and lovers almost every week. Yet, I have never taken the time to explain or acknowledge that there are unhealthy relationships and relationship signs.
That is where the One Love Foundation comes in. The foundation was started by Sharon Love in memory of her daughter Yeardley. Sharon shares her daughters story by saying
“On May 3rd, 2010 my daughter, Yeardley Love, who was then a senior lacrosse player at the University of Virginia and three weeks shy of her graduation, was beaten to death by her ex- boyfriend. As I dropped Yeardley off in Charlottesville each year, my biggest concern was that she may be injured on the lacrosse field or, even worse, be hurt in a car accident. Relationship violence was never on my radar screen; I had no idea that relationship abuse affects 1 in 3 women in her lifetime.”
One Love's website which is colored in light blue and white aims not only to remember Yeardley but also to raise awareness about relationship violence for both women and men. The One Love Foundation has created a movement against relationship violence by “Meeting young people where they are, on campus and online.” Then “using emotionally compelling digital tools to inspire” like the Love Labyrinth to realize the signs. Lastly, to utilize the bystander along with the first two tools to “mobilize a generation that tolerates the abuse.”
The One Love Foundation reports a scary statistic.
“1 in 3 women. 1 in 4 men. Will experience relationship violence in their lifetime.”
This is the single most important article you will read about relationships today because it could literally be the difference between life and death. Sharon Love said about her daughter
“To know Yeardley was to love her- She was happy, kind, hard-wroking, humble, honest, fun and enthusiastic.”
How many more amazing young women and men do we need to lose to change this problem? With the help of One Love and you, we can make everyone feel both safe and loved in their relationship, because that is what we all deserve.
To Join The Movement, receive help, and learn more information please visit:
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