[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 140 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 140

  Expressing support for designation of the month of February 2021 as 
   ``National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 18, 2021

Ms. Wexton (for herself, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mrs. Hinson, Ms. Speier, Ms. 
  Dean, Mr. Reed, Ms. Norton, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Mr. Carson, Mr. 
 Cooper, Ms. Titus, Mr. Khanna, and Mr. Krishnamoorthi) submitted the 
   following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing support for designation of the month of February 2021 as 
   ``National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month''.

Whereas according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (in this 
        resolution referred to as the ``CDC''), teen dating violence includes 4 
        types of behavior: (1) physical violence, (2) sexual violence, (3) 
        psychological aggression, and (4) stalking;
Whereas according to the National Institute of Justice and Statistics, 
        technology-facilitated abuse is a growing social malady contributing to 
        increased psychological aggression among teens;
Whereas technology-facilitated abuse includes, but is not limited to, cyber 
        extortion, cyberstalking, and doxing;
Whereas according to the Cyberbullying Research Center, over one quarter (28.1 
        percent) of teens who had been in a romantic relationship at some point 
        in the previous year said they had been the victim of at least one form 
        of digital dating abuse;
Whereas while dating violence, domestic violence, sexual violence, and stalking 
        affect individuals regardless of age, teens are especially vulnerable;
Whereas according to the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, almost half (44.3 
        percent) of teens experienced at least one type of violence and 1 in 7 
        (15.6 percent) of teens experienced at least two types of violence;
Whereas 1 in 9 female and 1 in 36 male high school students report having 
        experienced sexual dating violence in the last year;
Whereas the CDC reported that nearly 1 in 11 female teens and about 1 in 15 male 
        teens reported experiencing physical dating violence in the last year;
Whereas teaching teens about the consequences of intimate partner violence and 
        supporting the development of healthy, respectful, and nonviolent 
        relationships have the potential to decrease teen dating violence in 
        future generations;
Whereas educating middle school students and their parents about the importance 
        of building healthy relationships and preventing teen dating violence is 
        key to deterring abuse before it begins;
Whereas according to a National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey of 
        the CDC, 80 percent of female rape victims experienced their first rape 
        before the age of 25, and almost half experienced their first rape 
        before the age of 18;
Whereas according to the same National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence 
        Survey, 26 percent of women and 15 percent of men who were victims of 
        contact sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate 
        partner in their lifetime first experienced these or other forms of 
        violence by that partner before the age of 18;
Whereas approximately 35 percent of women who were raped as minors were also 
        raped as adults;
Whereas developing healthy relationship practices and standards in youth under 
        the age of 18 can be critical to eliminating sexual violence and other 
        forms of intimate partner violence;
Whereas teen dating violence is a preventable public health crisis that can 
        negatively impact teens and youth in all parts of the United States;
Whereas teens who have experienced dating violence are more than twice as likely 
        as others to consider suicide;
Whereas the CDC indicates that there are several community factors, such as 
        poverty, low capital, such as lack of institutions, relationships, and 
        norms that shape a community's social interactions, poor neighborhood 
        support and cohesion, weak community sanctions against intimate partner 
        violence, and high alcohol outlet density, that place individuals at 
        greater risk for perpetrating intimate partner violence;
Whereas the CDC also indicates that community factors, such as neighborhood 
        collective efficacy, and coordination of resources and services among 
        community agencies, may reduce an individual's risk of perpetrating 
        intimate partner violence;
Whereas primary prevention programs are a key part of addressing teen dating 
        violence, and many successful examples of such programs include 
        education, community outreach, and social marketing campaigns that are 
        culturally appropriate;
Whereas evidence-based programs such as the ``Coaching Boys Into Men'' program 
        have demonstrated that teaching adolescent men how to have healthy and 
        nonviolent relationships may increase positive bystander behavior and 
        prevent men from becoming perpetrators of teen dating violence;
Whereas the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, as amended by the Violence 
        Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013, includes the SMART Teen 
        Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Act, which improves the 
        coordination and effectiveness of existing programs to address abusive 
        youth relationships;
Whereas skilled assessment and intervention programs are necessary for youth 
        victims and abusers; and
Whereas the establishment of the month of February 2021 as National Teen Dating 
        Violence Awareness and Prevention Month will benefit schools, 
        communities, and families regardless of socioeconomic status, race, and 
        sex: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of ``National Teen Dating 
        Violence Awareness and Prevention Month'';
            (2) supports communities in empowering teens to develop 
        healthy relationships throughout their lives;
            (3) recognizes the national impact of teen dating violence 
        on public health and its specific and disproportionate impact 
        on young women; and
            (4) calls on the people of the United States, including 
        youth, parents, schools, law enforcement, State and local 
        officials, nonprofit organizations, and interested groups to 
        observe National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention 
        Month with appropriate programs and activities that promote 
        awareness and prevention of teen dating violence in communities 
        across the country.
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