February 24, 2006

Educating teens about dating violence

According to national studies, approximately one in five female high school students report being physically or sexually abused by an intimate partner. Dating violence among adolescents is associated with a variety of additional problems — including substance abuse, risky sexual behavior and suicide. To help teenagers recognize and prevent dating violence, volunteers from the MGH's HAVEN (Hospitals Helping Abuse and Violence End Now) program held a weeklong educational campaign Feb. 6 through 10 for students at Revere High School in conjunction with National Teen Dating Violence Prevention Week.

During the week, students participated in a variety of activities, including a panel discussion for seniors with guests Daniel Correira of MGH Community Benefits and MGH Men Against Abuse, Patti Rosell of HAVEN at MGH Revere, an anonymous survivor of domestic violence and Jasmine Perez, of HarborCOV, a local domestic violence agency.

Deana's Fund — an anti-violence educational theater organization — sponsored a performance and panel discussion of its interactive program Remote Control for students in grades 9, 10 and 11. A lunchtime information table also provided students with resources about dating violence, and teachers received daily e-mails, announcements and fact sheets.

"Our outreach activities for teenagers are not only about providing education but also connecting with them to let them know that they deserve safe relationships," says Rosell. "By offering students these resources, we hope to convey that healthy relationships are possible."

For more information about the MGH's domestic violence prevention programs, call (617) 724-0054.

From left, Yari Moran, RN, of MGH Patient Care Service;
Maureen Connolly, RN, school nurse for Revere High School
and Seacoast Academy; Correira, Rosell and Perez