Ohio is on the right path to helping prevent teen dating abuse. A Bill has been passed requiring Ohio schools to try to help stop dating violence. Local school boards will be required to adopt policies to prevent and address abusive relationships and train staff on the subject. Lessons in dating violence prevention will also be added to seventh through 12th grade health classes. The new law has been called “Tina’s Law” named after an 18-year old in Ohio who was shot and killed by her ex-boyfriend in 1992.
Back in March, Break the Cycle  released a report card  grading states based on their laws related to domestic violence and teen dating violence. Ohio had received an “F” but with these new changes, they are well on their way to passing with flying colors this year. Check out more about this story here.
You all may have heard the buzz about a horrible scene in an upcoming episode of MTV’s reality show Jersey Shore where a female gets punched by a male at the bar. Shocking footage of the incident has been circulating online and MTV has decided to run a domestic violence PSA after the episode airs.
loveisrespect CEO Sheryl Cates has also released a statement condoning MTV’s decision to air the scene. “We applaud MTV for partnering with us to provide resources and help to members of their audience who may be experiencing violence in their relationships or lives.”
We are seeing a third media frenzy over the Chris Brown and Rihanna story. This time, the world is seeing a poised and courageous Rihanna talk about a very confusing and painful time in her life. She is still trying to sort it out for herself.
One thing she has realized is that young girls are watching her and taking her actions seriously. In the Good Morning America interview, she said she could not take that “lightly.”
You may have noticed that some stories refer to her story as domestic violence and others as dating violence. It doesn’t really matter what you call it. Rihanna was hurt by a man who said he loved her. It was not her fault. It was his choice.
We will continue to see more of this story in the news as we all try to understand how this could have happened. It is a good discussion to have. Thank you, Rihanna for your willingness to share with us.
I was surfing YouTube the other day and I found this great video:
The PSA is great because it gives an overview of topics that we hear about a lot on calls and chats, and stresses the fact that these situations are no less serious or dangerous because the people in the relationships are teens.
The video was produced by pre-teen, and teenage women participating in the Reel Grrls program, an after school program to get youth involved in media. Way to go, Reel Grrls, keep up the socially conscious work!
Ohio is on the right path to helping prevent teen dating abuse. A Bill has been passed requiring Ohio schools to try to help stop dating violence. Local school boards will be required to adopt policies to prevent and address abusive relationships and train staff on the subject. Lessons in dating violence prevention will also be added to seventh through 12th grade health classes. The new law has been called “Tina’s Law” named after an 18-year old in Ohio who was shot and killed by her ex-boyfriend in 1992.
