Teens, Crime, and the Community
Session 14
Learning Objectives: In this session, teens will explore dating violence, a growing problem. They will discover myths and facts . . .
Learning Objectives:
In this session, teens will explore dating violence, a growing problem. They will discover myths and facts about dating violence, examine their expectations of being a girlfriend or boyfriend, and identify some early warning signs of dating violence. They will also create a Dating Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, and consider how conflict management skills can help them achieve their rights and fulfill their responsibilities. Finally, teens will analyze a dating violence situation and suggest ways to deal with it.
Tips to Enhance Session 14:-
Share the Dater’s Bill of Rights (PDF) with students after they finish their do-it-yourself poster in Step D.
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Download and copy the teen dating violence (PDF) brochure to give to your students when you distribute the journal during Step E. This way, the students will have a tangible reminder about how to recognize and prevent teen dating violence.
Web Resources:-
The National Center for Victims of Crime, Dating Violence Resource Center: Provides tip sheets, fact sheets, resources, and research about teen dating violence. Review and share highlights of their report, Teen Dating Violence: Facing The Epidemic (PDF).
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National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center, Teen Dating Violence: Gives statistics, warning signs, and strategies teens can use to prevent dating violence.
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Gay Men’s Domestic Violence Project: Offers information about homosexual male victims of domestic violence, as well as the presence of domestic violence in the lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities. The site also lists the similarities and differences between partner violence in heterosexual and homosexual relationships.
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Men Can Stop Rape: Offers men the message of “my strength is not for hurting,” as well as information about dating violence awareness and prevention.
Community Resource People:-
Domestic violence shelter employee: Can offer insight into dating violence, and the possible outcomes of it. This CRP can also help students who disclose personal experiences with dating violence or who become upset during the discussion of this sensitive issue.
Remember to give the community resource person the session materials at least one week before he or she will participate in your class.
Service-Learning Project Ideas:-
Short Project: Students can design and print the Dating Bill of Rights and Responsibilities that they created in Step D. They can also add local crisis center information to the document or contact information for the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Then, students can distribute the documents to other students, friends, and family members.
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Medium-Length Project: Students can organize a poetry slam. They can have other youth sign up for the event, and use a local auditorium or park for the youth to present their work. The poems should be focused on teen dating violence prevention. Youth can sell tickets for the event, and donate the proceeds to a victim service provider.
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Long Project: Students can conduct a clothing, hygiene product, and donation drive for a domestic violence shelter (possibly during Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention week in February). Students should heavily advertise the drive so that they receive the most donations.
