Stopping Teen Dating Abuse

A recent article by The New York Times discusses why there is a greater focus on teen dating abuse now then ever before. According to the article, this may be because of an increase in murders of teens by their boyfriends in the last year. Furthermore, cell phones and the internet provide new vehicles for abuse which did not exist in the same way 10, or even 5, years ago.

New approaches to the problem are being adopted by school systems and state legislation which promote awareness of dating abuse behaviors and provide greater legal protection for victims. For example, the Lindsay Ann Burke Act in Rhode Island, which we previously blogged about, requires public schools to teach about dating violence in middle and high schools.

If you are a teen in need of help, or you know someone who is, you can visit WomensLaw.org for legal information about your state which may help you figure out options for your situation.

Stopping Teen Dating Abuse