Laura’s House Addresses Teen Dating Abuse Among Middle School Students
Posted on August 28, 2013
Healthy Emotions and Attitudes in Relationships for Teens (H.E.A.R.T.) program expands focus to include tweens
LADERA RANCH, Calif., August 28, 2013 – During the 2012-2013 school year, Laura’s House, a non-profit organization whose mission is to change the social beliefs, attitudes and behaviors that perpetuate domestic violence while creating a safe place in which to empower individuals and families affected by abuse, expanded its Healthy Emotions and Attitudes in Relationships for Teens (H.E.A.R.T.) program to include emphasis on middle school students. This expansion comes in response to growing awareness of how dating abuse affects tweens.
National Study Points to Rise in Tween Dating Violence
According to a recent study, “Prevention in Middle School Matters: A Summary of Findings on Teen Dating Violence Behaviors and Associated Rick Factors Among 7th Grade Students” by RTI International (RTI) on behalf of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Blue Shield of California Foundation, dating abuse is becoming more prevalent in middle schools. Some of the key findings from the report include 75% of those surveyed reported having had a boyfriend or girlfriend. Furthermore, within the six months preceding the study, more than 1 in 3 students surveyed reported being a victim of psychological dating abuse; nearly 1 in 6 reported being a victim of physical dating abuse; and, nearly 1 in 3, reported being a victim of electronic dating aggression.
“Sadly, we are finding that middle schools have become ripe for dating abuse,” said Marissa Presley, Bilingual Prevention and Education Specialist for Laura’s House. “At a time when young adults should be enjoying the waning years of their childhood and preparing for high school, a growing number of them are entering the world of dating, and facing the realities of dating abuse. As such, it has become crucial that we reach middle school students through our H.E.A.R.T. program and ensure that they become educated on healthy relationships and tactics for preventing teen dating abuse, as early in life as possible.”
In the last year, Laura’s House has reached 160 7th and 8th graders in workshops held at Venado and Lakeside Middle Schools in Irvine, Bernice Aires and Marco Forrester Middle Schools in San Juan Capistrano, and Yorba and Rancho Middle Schools in Orange.
Young Woman Moves Beyond Dating Abuse to Become Advocate
Laura’s House is grateful to have the help of tweens and teens who have experienced dating abuse, in speaking out against dating abuse as part of its prevention and education efforts.
One such example is Kayla, who is now in high school and experienced dating abuse while she was in middle school, when a relationship she was having with a classmate escalated to rape. She reported it to the school and local authorities, but due to rumors that the boy spread about her at school, she is now being homeschooled. As a result of her experiences with dating violence, Kayla was compelled to become and advocate for teen dating abuse prevention. When asked about her experiences, she said “My family and true friends supported me through the entire process, and because of what they have done for me, today I am able to look in the mirror and instead of seeing shame and humility, I see a strong woman and a survivor.”
The Role of Parents in Preventing Dating Abuse
Parents can help prepare their children to develop strong and healthy relationships by keeping the lines of communication open, and being vigilant of their children’s usage of electronic devices and online social media tools in their interactions with others.
“Parents need to be aware of how their children are communicating with their friends and boyfriends or girlfriends,” continued Presley. “Often, parents will ask me how their children are dating when they are being dropped off and picked up immediately after school, and the answer is in the hallways, under the bleachers and on social media. For tweens especially, it is critical that parents check their child’s texts, incoming and outgoing, and monitor the frequency of text and phone calls from their cell phone; review photos stored on their cell phones; and, look at social media posts on a daily basis.”
In addition to being aware of their child’s online activities, there are other signs that a child may be experiencing dating abuse. “Parents should look for unexplained physical marks including cuts and bruises; changes in behavior or personality, including sadness, moodiness, anxiety or depression; loss of interest in activities or friends; difficulty sleeping and/or a loss of appetite; a sudden drop in grades; and, even running away,” said Presley.
New Website Helps in the Education and Prevention of Teen Dating Abuse
Recently, Laura’s House launched a new Website with funding from a Verizon Wireless HopeLine® grant, that provides the H.E.A.R.T. program with a robust online presence. The colorful and dynamic Website, which can be viewed at www.laurashouse.org/lhteen, offers a number of interactive features designed to reach today’s tech-savvy tween and teen populations.
These features include digital postcards that address dating abuse and provide tips and encouragement to tweens and teens that find themselves in an abusive relationship; online pledge cards that enable teens to take a “virtual” stand against dating abuse; a quiz feature that lets tweens and teens assess whether they are being abused by their dating partner, or if they are the abuser; music, news and current events; podcasts, and other informative resources that can help tweens and teens become educated about dating abuse.
More information on the programs and services offered by Laura’s House, including the H.E.A.R.T. program, is also available at www.laurashouse.org.
About Laura’s House
For nearly two decades, Laura’s House has provided residential shelter and support services to nearly 3,500 families, and counseling, life skills education and legal assistance to over 40,000 individuals. The mission of Laura’s House is to change the social beliefs, attitudes and the behaviors that perpetuate domestic violence while creating a safe space in which to empower individuals and families affected by abuse.
# # #