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Friday, Feb 19, 2010
Councilwoman Hahn Recognizes Teen Dating Violence Prevention and Awareness Month in City Council
On Friday in City Council, I joined my colleague, Councilman Alarcon in presenting a resolution declaring February Teen Dating Violence Prevention and Awareness Month in the City of Los Angeles.
The Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Initiative was first spearheaded by teenagers across the nation who chose to take a stand and put a stop to teen dating violence. Today, the call to end teen dating violence is now being supported by dozens of national, state and local organizations. This year, for the first time, Congress has dedicated an entire month to teen dating violence awareness and prevention. We in the City of Los Angeles are proud to follow suit. We are calling upon government representatives and agencies, public officials, advocates, service providers, schools, parents and youth to take part in programs and activities that promote awareness and prevention of teen dating violence.
Domestic violence and sexual violence affect people of all ages and backgrounds. But teens and young adults are especially vulnerable to this violence, and often lack the resources to get the help they need. Incredibly, 1 in 3 teenage girls is a victim of physical, emotional, or verbal abuse from a partner. It is so important that we take this opportunity to reach out to our young people and encourage them to come forward and report the crimes against them.
I want to thank Kandee Lewis (pictured above, along with her brother), of the Positive Results Corporation for bringing this important month of outreach and awareness to my attention.
Posted at 12:00 AM