The Child & Family Center’s Domestic Violence program hosted a traveling art exhibit that uses mixed-media in order to spread awareness about Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month.

Featuring uniquely decorated shoes and written blurbs of first hand accounts from survivors, “A Walk In Their Shoes” depicts the stories of four local teens who have experienced teen dating violence.

“February Teen Dating Violence awareness month, and one-in-three adolescence that report being emotionally or sexually abused,” said event organizer Alexandra Garcia, Youth Prevention specialist. “These shoes are about the four different survivors from the Santa Clarita Valley that went through our program and then we asked if they would allow an artist to depict their stories on the shoes.”

https://www.facebook.com/khtsradio/videos/1676369569094807/

The stories told vary from survivor to survivor, but all share a common theme, organizers said.

“For example on the shoes we have how their lives started off and then we show the traumatic experiences they’ve had,” said Nila Karimazi, an event organizer. “Then we have at the end, we talk more about how, in the end, they went through these obstacles and empowered themselves.”

The “Walk In Their Shoes” exhibit has, since Jan. 30, traveled around Santa Clarita, accompanied by a Domestic Violence advocate and one teen dating survivor who help share their stories and resources on this issue.

“Dating violence is not just reserved for adult relationship,” said Nila. “Teenagers are definitely going through the same things, and we need to spread more awareness about it.”

For their last destination, the art exhibit is scheduled to appear at City Hall on Feb. 16, where the presenters and staff from the Domestic Violence Center will highlight the importance of addressing this issue at the physical center of The City of Santa Clarita’s government.

Additionally, the Child and Family Center’s Domestic Violence Program will present an exhibit featuring mixed-media showcasing of the talent of various community members and victims of domestic violence.

The event is scheduled to take place at the Savia Center on Feb. 23 from 7-9 p.m.

For more information about Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month visit the Child and Family Center’s website here, or by visiting the Domestic Violence Center’s website here.

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and sign up for KHTS email and text alerts today!