Guest Author - Carolyn Chambers Clark, RN, EdD

February 6th-10th is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Week.

Why do we need a national Teen Dating Violence Awareness Week? Isn't teen dating violence a rare occurrence?

Here are some statistics about teen dating violence:

*Half of reported date rapes occur among teens

*More than 40 percent of male and female high school students say they have been victims of dating violence at least once

*75% of students in one high school who went through a teen dating violence program said they didn't realize emotional abuse could be considered violence

What is dating violence?

Here are some examples of dating violence:

*Your girlfriend or boyfriend calls you fat, tells you you're not worth it, or you're lucky he/she stays with you

*Being called names like "slut.""ho," "bitch"

*Your boyfriend or girlfriend demands that you spend all your time with him or her

*Your girlfriend or boyfriend threatens to hurt or kill themselves if you break up with them

*Being punched, slapped, pushed, pinched, knifed, burned, or forced to have sex

What you can do about dating violence

*Ask your school to contact your local police or sheriff's office to provide deputies or officers to give classes about dating violence and what to do about it

*Contact your local American Bar Association for ABA kits on dating violence

*Never act like you didn't see anything when you witness dating violence--report it to the authorities and provide sufficient information for them to take action

*Avoid talking yourself into believing your violent boyfriend or girlfriend; keeping silent can lead to emotional and physical injury

*Remember that you are a worthy human being who deserves respect and non-controlling love: if you're being abused or are the abuser, please get help; start with the sources and resources below, then talk to your parents, friends, and/or a counselor who respects you

Sources and Resources

Ron Potter-Efron, ANGRY ALL THE TIME, AN EMERGENCY GUIDE TO ANGER CONTROL, New Harbinger, 1-800-748-6273

Matthew McKay, Peter D. Rogers, and Judith McKay, WHEN ANGER HURTS, QUIETING THE STORM WITHIN, New Harbinger, 1-800-748-6273

Matthew McKay, & Peter Rogers, THE ANGER CONTROL WORKBOOK, New Harbinger,
1-800-748-6273

Bill Borcherdt, YOU CAN CONTROL YOUR FEELINGS: 24 GUIDES TO EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING, Professional Resource Press, Phone:(813)366-7913, Fax: (813) 366-7971

Martha Davis, Elizabeth Robins Eshelman, and Matthew McKay, THE RELAXATION AND STRESS REDUCTION WORKBOOK, New Harbinger, 1-800-748-6273

Randy J. Paterson, THE ASSERTIVENESS WORKBOOK: HOW TO EXPRESS YOUR IDEAS AND STAND UP FOR YOURSELF AT WORK AND IN RELATIONSHIPS, New Harbinger, 1-800-748-6273

Kristen Kridel, "Teens warned of dating violence," Englewood Herald Tribune, February 10, 2006