Attorney General Charlie Crist has declared this week National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention week. Crist’s office joined the American Bar Association in promoting awareness of teen dating violence and is sponsoring a week of activities for schools to help them address the issue.
As part of the nationwide effort to reach out to high school students, the ABA created a teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Toolkit, produced with input from teens throughout the country, including Florida teens serving as Ambassadors for the ABA Prevention Initiative. The peer-directed kit offers a list of warning signs of an abusive relationship and prevention tips in order to help parents, school personnel, lawyers, court personnel, law enforcement and medical professionals assist teens who may be in a violent relationship. Fifteen schools in Florida received copies of the toolkit to use this week. Some of these schools plan to include the program in their ongoing curriculum through the assistance of school resource officers and classroom teachers.
“Domestic violence can target teens just as easily as it can target adults and children,” said Crist. “If these toolkits save even one teenager from a dangerous relationship, this week will be a success.”