On March 10, the House approved, by voice vote, H. Res. 1081, a resolution supporting National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month. The Senate passed an identical resolution (S. Res. 373) on January 25 (see The Source, 1/29/10).
Sponsored by Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), the resolution calls on the House to “support and encourage communities to empower teens to develop healthy relationships” and encourages law enforcement agencies at all levels to promote awareness and prevention of teen dating violence.
Speaking in support of the resolution, Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) said, “Physically abused teens are three times more likely than teens who have not been abused to experience violence during college. Teen victims also carry the patterns of violence into future relationships. According to a recent report by the American Bar Association, dating violence is occurring with people as young as 12 years of age. A Department of Justice study found that girls and young women between the ages of 16 and 24 experienced the highest rate of intimate partner violence at a rate almost triple the national average. As a result of the growing number of deaths and injuries resulting from teen dating violence, we must recognize this type of behavior is not only a crime but also is a serious public health concern.”
