Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Friday, June 18, 1999

Release #241 -99

Contact: Matthew Higgins, Mayor's Press Office (212) 788-2958


MAYOR'S COMMISSION TO COMBAT FAMILY VIOLENCE SPONSORS CONFERENCE ON TEEN RELATIONSHIP ABUSE

Statistics Show One Third of High School and College Age Young People Experience Violence In A Dating Or Intimate Relationship

The Mayor's Commission to Combat Family Violence, the New York City Commission on the Status of Women and the Domestic Violence Center of John Jay College of Criminal Justice today sponsored a half-day conference on the prevalence of teen relationship abuse. The conference was one of the largest of its kind to address the alarming number of young people - approximately one in every three -- who are victimized by violence in a dating relationship. More than five hundred community and business leaders gathered at John Jay College to listen to experts on domestic violence and discuss innovative strategies to address teen relationship abuse through outreach and intervention.

"The statistics on teen relationship abuse are very disturbing, especially when emotional abuse is factored in, bringing the total number of high school and college age students who experience such abuse to over 60 percent," said Dr. Maria Mitchell, Chairperson of the Mayor's Commission to Combat Family Violence. "Unfortunately, very little attention is devoted to the problem of teen relationship abuse. Today's conference seeks to heighten awareness of what is a national problem and encourage parents, educators, and social service providers to intervene when signs of an abusive relationship first surface."

"The City of New York has been on the forefront in developing comprehensive strategies to fight teen relationship abuse," said Anthony P. Coles, Senior Advisor to the Mayor. "In 1997, Mayor Giuliani launched a series of programs designed to increase awareness of teen relationship abuse, including a public education campaign on public transportation, training for service providers who work with young people and services for young people who are involved in abusive relationships. In addition, the City designed and distributed thousands of brochures to young people about teen relationship abuse; created a resource directory for teenagers involved in abusive relationships; and developed the new 'Adopt-A-School' program to be implemented this fall. This conference will focus necessary attention and resources on this important issue."

The importance of intervening in abusive teen relationships is further underscored by the number of married battered women who report their spouses abused them while they were dating - 30 percent - and the number of young women who, despite being physically abused by their partner, remained in the relationship - 80 percent. The Mayor's Commission to Combat Family Violence encourages anyone who is a victim of domestic violence to call the City's 24-hour, toll-free hotline, 1-800-621-HOPE.

For more information or literature on domestic violence or teen relationship abuse, call Rhea Mallet, Executive Director of the Mayor's Commission to Combat Family Violence at 212-788-3156.

www.ci.nyc.ny.us


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