Can't we become a culture that places
the blame squarely on the shoulders of
the person perpetrating the violence,
not the person who has to withstand it?
maKE a JOyFUL NOiSE /
RESOURCES
LeARN MORe
Joyful Heart Foundation
www.joyfulheartfoundation.org
Love Is Not Abuse
www.loveisnotabuse.org
Safe Horizon
www.safehorizon.org
Nat'l Youth violence prevention
www.safeyouth.org
Family violence prevention Fund
www.endabuse.org
GeT heLp
National domestic violence Hotline
1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
1-800-787-3224 (TYY)
National Teen dating Abuse
Helpline
www.loveisrespect.org
1-866-331-9474
1-866-331-8453 (TTY)
BOOkS
How to Talk to Your Kids About
Really Important Things: For
Children Four to Twelve, by Charles
E. Schaefer, Theresa Foy Digeronimo
(1994, Jossey-Bass Publishers).
Teen Tips: A practical Survival
Guide for parents with Kids
11-19, by Tom McMahon (1996,
Pocket Books).
In Love and danger: A Teen's
Guide to Breaking Free of Abusive
Relationships, by Barrie Levy
(1998, Seal Press Feminist Pub).
hANDBOOkS fROM LOVe IS
NOT ABUSe
"A Parent's Handbook: How to Talk
to Your Children About Developing
Healthy Relationships"
"A Parent's Guide to Teen Dating
Violence: 10 Questions to Start the
Conversation"
"Tough Talk: What Boys Need to
Know About Relationship Abuse"
"What You Need to Know About Dat-
ing Violence: A Teen's Handbook"
Available free of charge by calling
1-800-449-STOP(7867) or online
at www.loveisnotabuse.com/hand-
books.htm
THE STATISTICS ON TEEN dATING vIOLENCE ANd ABUSE ARE STAGGERING. wHEN TEENS BEGIN
dating, they often apply relationship norms they've observed as they grew up. Adolescents who witnessed do-
mestic violence at home are likely to accept abuse in their own relationships. Additionally, when teens are abused
by their partners, it sets a dangerous precedent that can be repeated throughout the rest of their lives.
Teens who do not witness abuse growing up, however, are not immune to encountering violence in their lives.
The crime of dating violence--which includes emotional, physical, and sexual assault, as well as harassment
via digital communication like texting, email, and instant messaging--is a reality for many of our nation's teens
regardless of childhood experiences. We can't always know the root causes of this issue, but we do know that
education can help combat it. Our goal is to help shed more light on this important issue.
Below are ways you can confront the all-too-prevalent issue of teen dating abuse with the young people in
your life:
heAL
In response to the alarming rates of teen dating abuse through technology and the severe knowledge gap bet-
ween parents and their teens, the National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH) and Liz Claiborne, Inc. joined
together to launch loveisrespect.org, The National Teen Dating
Abuse Helpline (NTDAH). The Joyful Heart Foundation is pleased
to support their efforts.
This national web-based and telephone resource is available
to help teens (ages 13-18) experiencing dating violence. If you
are dealing with an abusive relationship and would like guidance,
please connect to the live chat through
www.loveisnotabuse.
com or the Joyful Heart Foundation website.
eDUcATe
A Liz Claiborne, Inc. study found that 54 percent of parents admit they have not spoken to their child about
dating violence. Now is the time to know the facts and start the conversation.
eMpOWeR
Liz Claiborne, Inc.'s MADE program (Moms and Dads for Education to Stop Teen Dating Abuse) is committed
to changing our national dialogue around this issue. MADE's goal is to build a coalition of parents, teachers and
concerned citizens who advocate teaching a curriculum on preventing
relationship violence and abuse in middle and high schools across the
country. The Joyful Heart Foundation supports MADE's efforts to increase
public awareness of this issue and to mobilize parents and teachers to
turn a spotlight on teen dating abuse. We're asking everyone in our com-
munity to take a stand for this cause by signing the MADE petition online:
www.loveisnotabuse.com/made/petition.html
TEEN DATING VIOLENCE:
IT'S TIME TO TALK
Teenagers and young adults are the age groups
at greatest risk for sexual assault.
1 in 3 girls who have been in a serious relation-
ship say they've been concerned about being
physically hurt by their partner.
1 in 5 girls and 1 in 7 boys will be sexually
assaulted by the age of eighteen.
1 in 5 teens who have been in a serious rela-
tionship report being hit, slapped or pushed
by a partner.
The risk of sexual assault is four times higher for
women aged 16-24 than for any other age group.
Over 90% of sexual assaults are committed by
someone the survivor knows.
Nearly 80% of girls who have been physically
abused in their intimate relationships continue
to date their abuser.
Teen dating violence most often takes place in
the home of one of the partners.
19
REUNION