North Texas Teens Tackle Dating Violence

February 4-9: Teen Dating Violence Awareness Week

DALLAS, Feb. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- For one in every five teens in a serious relationship, the euphoric excitement of dating has taken an unexpected turn as they come face-to-face with being slapped or pushed by a partner. The face of dating violence is often associated with adult victims, but the harsh reality is this violent act is seeping into teenage relationships, many times unnoticed by parents.

February 4-9 is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Week. The Allstate Foundation in Texas and The Family Place are encouraging parents, teachers and teens to recognize the warning signs of teen dating violence this week and every week.

Breaking the Cycle

The Family Place and The Allstate Foundation joined efforts to develop a 10-week teen dating violence awareness curriculum that is being taught in 25 schools throughout the Dallas area. This in-school program supports H.B. 121, which was passed last year, mandating that each school district in Texas adopt and implement a dating violence policy.

North Texas teens marked the start of National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Week by performing a teen-to-teen safe dating skit on Monday. These teen leaders serve as ambassadors for the Students Tackling Abusive Relationships Together program, helping their peers recognize that an abusive or controlling relationship is not acceptable.

"Exposure to violence is an unfortunate reality in our schools today," said Kate Dodd, Family Place Director of Youth Education and Prevention Services. "Many times the violence experienced in a dating relationship is normalized, and often bystanders, including parents, teachers, and friends do not know how to respond. The Family Place START Program teaches students how to be courageous bystanders to prevent teen dating violence and family violence from occurring."

Alarming statistics indicate that for many teens, dating violence is not simply a lesson they're learning in school, it's one of life's long-tests they'll have to overcome. Three out of four of Texas youth (ages 16-24) say they have personally experienced dating violence or know someone who has, according to a 2006 survey conducted by the Texas Council on Family Violence.

"If parents, teens and other caring adults are watching for the dating violence warning signs, they will help save teens who have fallen into an abusive relationship," said Janemarie Clark, Allstate Texas Foundation Manager. "While on the surface some signs may appear harmless, they may signal that the relationship is not completely healthy."

Know the Signs

-- Frequent Texting: 30% of teens in a dating relationship have been
text-messaged 10, 20, or 30 times an hour by a partner keeping tabs on
where they are, what they are doing or who they are with
-- Extreme jealousy
-- Isolating the other person from friends and family and monopolizing
spare time to the detriment of other friendships
-- Telling the other person what to do, what to wear, who to spend time
with
-- Explosive temper
-- Possessiveness

Finding Help

For teens in abusive relationships, the first step to a healthy life is to reach out to a family member, counselor, teacher, or a friend. The National Teen Dating Violence Hotline (1-866-331-9474), which operates 24 hours a day, 365 days out of the year, can also be a confidential source of help for teens. The Allstate Foundation is one of the founding financial sponsors of the hotline. Teens can also call The Family Place hotline at (214) 941-1991 for 24-hour crisis counseling and information.

The Family Place is the largest family violence service provider in the Dallas area reaching out to thousands of victims of family violence each year with award-winning programs that keep women and children safe. For 29 years, The Family Place's mission to end the epidemic of family violence has remained constant.

Established in 1952, The Allstate Foundation is an independent, charitable organization made possible by subsidiaries of The Allstate Corporation. The Allstate Foundation partners with non-profit organizations on community initiatives that promote "safe and vital communities," "tolerance, inclusion, and diversity" and "economic empowerment." Teen driving and empowering victims of domestic violence have been priorities for the Foundation since 2005.

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Source: The Allstate Foundation

CONTACT: Liberty Swift of The Allstate Foundation, +1-972-871-6653,
Mobile, +1-361-232-0142

2008-02-05 11:00:32 0282225 PRNEWSWIRE