Revision: Jan. 16, 2009, midnight
2009 SESSION
04/09
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 7
A RESOLUTION in support of teen dating violence education.
SPONSORS: Rep. Cali-Pitts, Rock 16; Rep. Julie Brown, Straf 1; Rep. Griffin, Rock 4; Rep. P. Katsakiores, Rock 5
This concurrent resolution urges the development of teen dating violence education policies in all schools in the state.
09-0615
04/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nine
A RESOLUTION in support of teen dating violence education.
Whereas, teen dating violence is a pattern of controlling and abusive behavior of one person over another within a romantic relationship including verbal, emotional, physical, sexual, and financial abuse; and
Whereas, lack of dating experience allows teens to be more vulnerable to dating violence where they are less likely to recognize the abuse; and
Whereas, teen dating violence has become a prevalent problem in high schools, junior high schools, and middle schools throughout our country, with one in 3 teens experiencing some kind of abuse in their romantic relationships; and
Whereas, girls and women between the ages of 16 and 24 experience the highest rate of intimate partner violence, and of the young murdered each year between the ages of 15 to 19, 30 percent are killed by their boyfriend or husband; and
Whereas, recent studies have shown that teen dating violence is starting at an early age with 11 to 14 year olds able to identify aspects of teen dating abuse in their social lives; and
Whereas, early sexual experiences can be a precursor to dating violence and abuse among older teens and can perpetuate a culture of acceptance of this type of behavior; and
Whereas, abuse and violence in intimate partner relationships not only causes great individual pain, but also breaks down families, communities, and society at large; and
Whereas, education is the best mechanism to stop teen dating violence and is crucial to create a culture of intolerance for teen dating abuse; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
That the New Hampshire general court hereby endorses the Lindsay Ann Burke Act (Rhode Island 2007 Public Laws, Chapters 287 and 490), which provides that each public school district implement a curriculum and policy on teen dating violence and abuse; and
That the New Hampshire general court encourages the New Hampshire department of education to work with local school districts to devise and implement teen dating violence education policies, recommends that these policies include a mission statement emphasizing that dating violence is unacceptable and will not be tolerated as well as the establishment of guidelines and discipline procedures to respond to incidents taking place at school or on school grounds, and urges school districts to incorporate dating violence education into health education curriculums in middle and or high school; and
That the clerk of the New Hampshire house of representatives send copies of this resolution to the commissioner of the department of education, the members of the state board of education, and the superintendents of all school districts in the state.