[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 34 (Wednesday, March 10, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H1232-H1234]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUPPORTING NATIONAL TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH
Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 1081) supporting the goals and ideals of National
Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1081
Whereas dating, domestic, and sexual violence affect women
regardless of age, and teens and young women are especially
vulnerable;
Whereas approximately 1 in 3 adolescent girls in the United
States is a victim of physical, emotional, or verbal abuse
from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds
victimization rates for other types of violence affecting
youth;
Whereas nationwide, 1 in 10 high school students (9.9
percent) has been hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose
by a boyfriend or girlfriend;
Whereas more than 1 in 4 teenagers have been in a
relationship where a partner is verbally abusive;
Whereas 20 percent of teen girls exposed to physical dating
violence did not attend school on 1 or more occasions during
a 30-day period because they felt unsafe either at school, or
on the way to or from school;
Whereas violent relationships in adolescence can have
serious ramifications for victims, including higher risk for
substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behavior,
suicide, and adult revictimization;
Whereas teen girls who are physically and sexually abused
are up to 6 times more likely to become pregnant, and more
than 2 times as likely to report a sexually transmitted
disease, than teen girls who are not abused;
Whereas nearly 3 in 4 children, ages 11 to 14 (hereinafter
referred to as ``tweens''), say that dating relationships
usually begin at age 14 or younger, and approximately 72
percent of 8th and 9th grade students report ``dating'';
Whereas 1 in 5 tweens say their friends are victims of
dating violence and nearly \1/2\ of tweens who are in
relationships know friends who are verbally abused;
Whereas more than 3 times as many tweens (20 percent) as
parents of tweens (6 percent) admit that parents know little
or nothing about the dating relationships of tweens;
Whereas teen dating abuse most often takes place in the
home of one of the teens in the dating relationship;
Whereas a majority of parents surveyed believe they have
had a conversation with their teen about what it means to be
in a healthy relationship, but the majority of teens surveyed
said that they have not had a conversation about dating abuse
with a parent in the past year;
Whereas digital abuse and ``sexting'' are becoming new
frontiers for teen dating abuse;
Whereas 1 in 4 teens in a relationship say they have been
called names, harassed, or put down by their dating partner
through cellular phones and texting;
Whereas 3 in 10 young people have sent or received nude
pictures of other young people on their cellular phones or
online, and 61 percent who have ``sexted'' report being
pressured to do so at least once;
Whereas targets of digital abuse are almost 3 times as
likely to contemplate suicide as those who have not
encountered such abuse (8 percent versus 3 percent), and
targets of digital abuse are nearly 3 times more likely to
have considered dropping out of school;
Whereas the severity of violence among intimate partners
has been shown to be greater
[[Page H1233]]
in cases where the pattern of violence has been established
in adolescence;
Whereas primary prevention programs are a key part of
addressing teen dating violence, and many successful
community examples include education, community outreach, and
social marketing campaigns that account for the cultural
appropriateness of programs;
Whereas in addition to prevention programs, skilled
assessment and intervention programs are necessary for youth
victims and abusers;
Whereas the alarming trend of unhealthy and abusive youth
relationships exists in communities across the country, and
affects youth of every race, culture, sex, and socioeconomic
status; and
Whereas the establishment of National Teen Dating Violence
Awareness and Prevention Month in February will benefit
schools, communities, families, and youth throughout the
Nation: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) supports the goals and ideals of National Teen Dating
Violence Awareness and Prevention Week to raise awareness of
teen dating violence in the United States;
(2) supports and encourages communities to empower teens to
develop healthy relationships; and
(3) encourages the people of the United States, State and
local officials, middle schools and high schools, law
enforcement agencies, and other interested groups to observe
National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week
with appropriate programs and activities that promote
awareness and prevention of the crime of teen dating
violence.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Cohen) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) each will
control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
General Leave
Mr. COHEN. I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5
legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Tennessee?
There was no objection.
Mr. COHEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 1081 designates the month of February
2010 as National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month.
By designating a month to teen dating violence awareness, Congress
hopes to bring more attention to the problem. We also hope to
underscore the need for more effective prevention and deterrence
efforts to help young people break the cycle of violence.
Dating violence is a serious problem in this country, and many teens
do not report it because they're afraid to tell family and friends. It
often starts with teasing and name calling but escalates to more
serious violence like physical and sexual assaults. Teen victims of
dating violence are at greater risk of doing poorly in school and
abusing drugs and alcohol. Fifty percent of young people reporting both
dating violence and rape also reported increased rates of attempted
suicide, compared to youth who had not been abused.
Physically abused teens are three times more likely than teens who
have not been abused to experience violence during college. Teen
victims also carry the patterns of violence into future relationships.
According to a recent report by the American Bar Association, dating
violence is occurring with people as young as 12 years of age. A
Department of Justice study found that girls and young women between
the ages of 16 and 24 experienced the highest rate of intimate partner
violence at a rate almost triple the national average. As a result of
the growing number of deaths and injuries resulting from teen dating
violence, we must recognize this type of behavior is not only a crime
but also is a serious public health concern.
Today's resolution should occur in families and communities around
the country to educate their teenagers about this problem and help in
preventing it. I would like to thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr.
Lewis) for his leadership on this issue and this important resolution.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting House Resolution 1081.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may
consume.
I rise in support of H. Res. 1081 which supports the goals and ideals
of National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month. This
nationwide effort seeks to increase public awareness and to educate
citizens about the prevalence of dating violence among American
teenagers. The Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Initiative
was spearheaded by teenagers across our Nation who chose to take a
stand and put a stop to teen dating violence. The initiative began in
2004 and is now supported by numerous national, State and local
organizations, and in 2005, this Congress noted the importance of
addressing teen dating violence and highlighted the initiative in the
reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.
The call to end dating violence was formally recognized by the House
in 2006, and to bring more public awareness about teen dating violence,
the House designated the first full week in February to be National
Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week over the last 3
years. However, the Justice Department worked with Congress to
designate the entire month of February as National Teen Dating Violence
Awareness and Prevention Month. This designation provides parity to the
three other crimes--sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking--
each of which has a designated month for public education and awareness
activities. Across the country, dozens of States, cities and towns join
Congress to designate February as National Teen Dating Violence
Awareness and Prevention Month. And in doing so, these jurisdictions
demonstrated their collective commitment to ending teen dating violence
and to support the numerous victims and survivors who live among us.
Research tells us that one in three adolescent girls in the United
States is a victim of physical, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating
partner. These violent relationships can have serious consequences for
victims, putting them at higher risk for substance abuse, eating
disorders, risky sexual behavior, suicide and adult revictimization. In
fact, teen girls who are physically and sexually abused are six times
more likely to become pregnant and more than two times as likely to
report a sexually transmitted disease as teen girls who are not abused.
Perhaps the most alarming statistic is how prevalent this violence is
in our country. Studies show that one in three teens has suffered from
some sort of violence in a dating relationship. We also know that
dating violence among children is not limited to physical, emotional or
sexual assault. It also can take the form of harassment via computer or
cell phone text messaging or by e-mail.
National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month provides
an opportunity for parents to engage their children about dating
violence and abusive relationships. Surveys of teens indicate that
parents often do not know their children are in a relationship that is
abusive. To start the dialogue, parents or teens can call the National
Teen Dating Abuse Helpline at 1-866-331-9474. The helpline promotes
awareness of healthy dating relationships and offers tips on preventing
abusive relationships. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), the sponsor of this resolution.
Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, let me begin by thanking Chairman
Cohen, Chairman Conyers, Chairman Scott, Ranking Member Poe and all of
their staff for their support and work on this issue. I am proud to
sponsor this resolution and hope that all of my colleagues will support
this simple but important effort.
This is an important effort. It's an important step. Youth dating
violence is spreading all across our country. In my congressional
district, the Center for Disease Control, the Fulton County district
attorney, the Partnership Against Domestic Violence, colleges, high
schools, and yes, even middle schools have been seeing an increase in
abusive teen relationships. Fear, stalking, bullying, violence and
abuse are unacceptable and always shocking. But it is tragic that
domestic abuse is a very real part of our children's relationships. We
see it in the headlines. We see it on the streets. We see it with
[[Page H1234]]
our own children. Mr. Speaker, we must break this chain. We must stop
the cycle from being repeated over and over again.
The CDC worked with Liz Claiborne, Inc. to develop Dating Matters:
Understanding Teen Dating Violence Prevention. This is a free online
training course for teachers, youth leaders and family members. I
encourage all those watching this discussion and debate to research
this issue, take the course and watch for the signs. I think the time
has come, Mr. Speaker, for us to teach our young people the way of
nonviolence, our children, our teenagers, our college-aged students.
Last month, I know that many across the country recognized Teen
Dating Violence Prevention Month. I hope they continue through Women's
History Month and really the entire year. We used to think a week was
enough time, but it is just not enough. Mr. Speaker, our communities
must have the information and the training to stop teen dating
violence. I urge all of my colleagues to support this commonsense
resolution.
Mr. POE of Texas. I have no further requests for time, Mr. Speaker,
and I am prepared to close. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
This is an important piece of legislation to bring national awareness
to this problem. Some of the violence that occurs among our teenagers
is horrible, the things they are doing to each other and those
especially in a relationship and dating. I think it's important that
the country understand that teen violence among those who are dating is
a tremendous problem. I have four kids, three of them are girls, and
their safety has always been a concern as they were growing up. As all
parents have that concern. So I totally support this resolution and
urge its adoption.
Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support
of H. Res. 1081, which supports the goals and ideals of ``National Teen
Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month''.
Mr. Speaker, allow these alarming statistics to speak on behalf of
the importance of this resolution:
1 in 3 adolescent girls in the United States is a victim of physical,
emotional, or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far
exceeds victimization rates for other types of violence affecting
youth.
1 in 10 high school students, nationwide, (9.9 percent) has been hit,
slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by a boyfriend or girlfriend.
1 in 4 teenagers have been in a relationship where a partner is
verbally abusive.
20 percent of teen girls exposed to physical dating violence did not
attend school on 1 or more occasions during a 30-day period because
they felt unsafe either at school, or on the way to or from school.
Since 2006, the United States has recognized ``National Teen Dating
Violence Awareness and Prevention Week'' during the first week of
February. Because of the severity of the issue, the awareness campaign
was extended to include the entire month of February in 2010. This
initiative increases awareness and educates others about the very real
dangers of teen dating violence. This epidemic of teen dating violence
is perhaps one of the most complex and invasive problems facing
teenagers today.
Technology has added an additional ubiquitous and hidden feature of
teen dating violence, with the use and the availability of cell phones,
text and instant messaging, e-mail, and community networks. About 30
percent of teenagers who have been in a dating relationship have been
text-messaged between 10 and 30 times per hour by a partner seeking to
find out where they are, what they are doing, and with whom they are
with. Yet 67 percent of parents are unaware that their teen is being
checked up on some 30 times per day on their teen's cell phone. The
warning signs of teen dating violence for young females are:
Apologizes for his behavior and makes excuses for him; loses interest
in activities that she used to enjoy; and stops seeing her friends and
family members and becomes increasingly isolated.
Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today with a zeal and vigor about the
goals and ideals that the ``National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and
Prevention Month''; because this issue, if not handled with properly,
grows into domestic violence, the ugly older sister of teen dating
violence. In Houston, 9 percent of Houston students surveyed in grades
9 to 12 reported being hit, slapped or physically hurt by their
boyfriend or girlfriend in the past year. This is unacceptable!
Teenagers' foremost concern should be achieving academic excellence,
not dealing with physical and mental abuse, from anyone!
This Congress should be committed to tackling the roots of issues,
such as teen violence and supporting this resolution will not only
address with the root cause of domestic violence, but also; (1) support
teen victims of abuse; (2) educate pre-teens and teenagers, both male
and female, about the issue; and (3) give the support needed by
organizations and groups to effectively distribute life saving
information and awareness to those in need.
So in conclusion, I support H. Res. 1081 and I encourage my
colleagues to join me.
{time} 1130
Mr. POE of Texas. I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this
important resolution, H. Res. 1081.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1081.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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