Speak Out AGAINST Violence Against Women & Girls
Violence against women is a very real thing. But did you know that one in ten high school girls will experience some form of dating abuse? And that at least 28% of teen relationships involve violence? According to the FBI, 20% of homicide victims are between the ages of 15 and 24. One out of three women murdered in the US are killed by a husband or boyfriend.
In a recent survey students reported that they had an average of 10 dating partners and that they had been seeing their current partner for seven months. Sixty percent said that they spent time alone together once a week or less, while 40% indicated spending time alone together almost daily. And, 22% indicated that had been the victim of physical or emotional abuse in a dating relationship.
This site is one of the very best sites on teen violence. It is run by the Melrose Alliance Against Violence (MAAV), a non-profit, community-based organization that focuses on outreach, education and community collaboration in order to raise awareness of the problems of violence.
Add your voice...Two women, Gail & Michelle, are writing a book and are looking for teen's actual voices. The book is for and about teenage girls and young adult women. Their book is about dating and friendship abuse that occurs before teens graduate high school and/or reach age 18. Their intent is to provide a resource for will help girls recognize and avoid abusive dating and friendship relationships and, ultimately, select healthy life partners. They believe that the earlier teen (and preteens) are made aware of how to identify and avoid abuse, the better prepared they will be to avoid unhealthy relationships. If you have ever experienced such abuse yourself they want to capture your personal experiences in your own words and feelings. Your voice could make the difference and help someone avoid abuse or help heal the scars of someone who is or has been in an abusive relationship!
Tell Gail & Michelle your personal experiences with violence and abuse.Tips for telling your story... If you don't know where to start, start at the beginning: how did you meet the person who abused you; describe what kind of abuse it was (physical, emotional, verbal); when did you realize you were being abused; what did you do or not do about it; how did you break free of the abuse; how long were you in the abusive relationship; do you tend to pick boyfriends who are abusive; and what advice would you give other teens (or younger kids) on how to avoid being abused? Please write in any form you are comfortable with (story, poetry, word or phrase bursts) and at any length you would like. Please sign a first name or pick a nickname for yourself that they can use as a reference for your submission. All submissions will be kept in strictest confidence and your e-mail address will not be shared with anyone. Please feel free to ask any questions about the project if you are unsure of whether you would like to submit an experience or not. Help Gail & Michelle to write a book that will help young people avoid abuse.
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