Teen Domestic Violence and My Upcoming Atlanta Children’s Shelter Event
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Today I learned that this month is Teen Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention month. There is not much awareness in the general public about this featured topic so I want to raise awareness.
I have a teen daughter so I want to be sure she knows about it too. When I mentioned this topic she jumped right in and told me that it is definitely needed. She has seen domestic violence in school between guys and girls who are dating.
She (like me) has a strict no nonsense policy when it comes to guys putting their hands on girls. So much so that I have to calm her down because the ways she says she will hurt any guy who tries to lay a hand on her are borderline disturbing 
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I’m glad she has such a strong sense of personal boundaries and self-worth. Unfortunately too many young girls don’t so they end up in violent situations. They never dreamed it would happen to them. But a push, a shove, a “spanking” eventually evolves into a punch, a kick, and a slap. Because they are so desperate for love and attention they put up with it. They grow up accepting this kind of behavior and the next thing they know, they are pregnant and/or married to their abuser.
They believe the “I’m sorry” and the “I’ll never do it again” lines, so they go back and the cycle starts all over again. Educating them now is vital to launching successful, well-adjusted young women who are excited about their futures. We don’t want to have to visit them in a women’s shelter or worse yet in a hospital or morgue.
In a couple of weeks I am going to be speaking to a group of mothers who are living at the Atlanta Children’s Shelter. Some of these women have faced domestic violence and are trying to escape their abusers. They had the courage to get out and start over. But do we really want to see teens get to that point?
I will be talking about my experience with domestic violence as well as issues of economic empowerment. My heart goes out to women who are courageous to say no to abuse and do what they have to to start over.
Help me raise awareness about this silent epidemic of teen domestic violence. According to research from Break the Cycle, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing awareness and ending teen domestic violence:
- Nearly 1.5 million high school students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner in a single year.
- One in three adolescent girls in the US is a victim of physical, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds rates of other types of youth violence.
- One in ten high school students has been purposefully hit, slapped or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend.
- One quarter of high school girls have been victims of physical or sexual abuse.
Talk to your daughters (and sons) about the serious problem of domestic violence. Teach them that they are worthy of healthy, happy relationships. Show them love and give them attention so they won’t seek it from an outside, and potentially abusive source.
Samantha Gregory
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Very much enjoyed your article and I very much believe that this is a subject hat should be talked about and not hidden in some back room. I distinctly remember in high school thinking and feeling very much like your daughter. I remember thinking if some guy ever laid a hand on me I would ____. With all that being said I still wound up in an abusive relationship. I am thankful for the experience only because it has made me a better, stronger person. I can now say I know what that woman is going through and I can truly empathize with her. I know how scary it is to be in that relationship where you just don’t think you have the strength to leave. And listening to this person that you love dearly and who is supposed to love you dearly and hearing his apologies and how it’s never going to happen again. The cycle that you go through praying that this is really going to be the time that he changes only to be let down once again. Thank you for speaking to these girls if one life is changed it will be worth it. God bless.
I am a black female director who won a civil suit on my abuser for $100,000 which I think is the proper way to hit back. He works a regular job but he’s paying it off thinking of starting a business to help. This is the way I think is the best way to hit back and make them think. Of course this may not be the way for the majority but there is still 49% who should explore this route. This DVD is not just about going to court, it’s about ‘how you got there’ and ‘how to get to a new relationship’ where this is a dream. That’s the root problem. Please contact me if you’d like to help spread the word. Both of us should benefit from a partnership. Are you up to it?