My daughter will be in high school next year and dating may come soon after that!  Many parents feel confident that they can spot the signs of dating abuse, but studies have shown that more than half of all parents do not recognize the warning signs. And these days, parents are talking far less to their kids about dating abuse than any other risky behavior like drug or alcohol use.

So to help get the conversation started, Liz Claiborne Inc.’s teen dating violence prevention initiative, Love Is Not Abuse, has launched an iPhone app designed to educate parents on everything they need to know about teen dating abuse – how to spot the warning signs, get help, and more importantly, start conversations with their children about dating before abuse can even begin – all in one easily accessible tool.

One of the app’s most interactive features is that it actually allows parents, through a dramatic demonstration, to experience firsthand how technology plays a role in dating abuse. Parents receive increasingly menacing phone calls, text messages and emails that mimic the types of controlling and threatening behaviors faced by nearly 1 in 4 teens. The impact is immediate and important: empowering parents to talk to their teens.

Check out the app preview video featuring Liz Claiborne Inc. Chief Creative Officer and co-host of Project Runway, Tim Gunn, and photos from the launch event in New York City.

For details on the Love Is Not Abuse app or the recent study, see the press release on LoveIsNotAbuse.com . Or for updates, be sure to visit Love Is Not Abuse on Facebook and Twitter. The app is available for download FREE OF CHARGE in the iTunes App Store (search: “Love Is Not Abuse”).