With February being National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month – and Valentine's Day around the corner – Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin is reminding teens that everyone deserves a safe and healthy relationship.
"Statistics show that one in three teens and young adults will experience some form of domestic or dating abuse. Further data shows that girls and young women are disproportionally affected, experiencing nearly triple the national average rate of intimate partner violence. These startling figures reinforce this year's theme for National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month – The Time to Talk is Now," said Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin. "My hope is that by raising awareness and encouraging parents and teens to talk about what is and is not a healthy relationship; we can stop the cycle of violence before it begins."
According to statistics reported by the Love Is Respect campaign, nearly 1.5 million high school students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner in a single year. One in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds rates of other types of youth violence. One in 10 high school students has been purposefully hit, slapped or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend. One quarter of high school girls have been victims of physical or sexual abuse.
Throughout the month, Attorney General Kilmartin will be using Twitter to start discussions on the issue of teen dating violence, offer resources for additional information, and to hopefully spark conversations between parents and teens on what is a healthy relationship.
While abuse affects people of all ages, genders and demographics, studies show that young women are disproportionately affected by dating violence and sexual abuse. In fact, girls and young women between the ages of 16 and 24 experience the highest rate of intimate partner violence – almost triple the national average.
"One of the most compelling commercials during the Super Bowl was the NO MORE commercial depicting the fear a victim of domestic violence faces every day. Now, imagine if your teenage son or daughter that was trapped in that abusive relationship," said Attorney General Kilmartin. "Use this time to talk to your children about dating abuse, let them know they are not alone and you are there to protect them."
Attorney General Kilmartin has created a web page with local and national resources for victims, tips on abuse prevention and public service announcements to raise awareness on the prevalence of teen dating abuse. Please visit www.riag.ri.gov for more information.