Delaware's Teen Dating Violence Task Force Issues Report
This is the 3rd article in a series of articles on the subject of teen dating violence. Previous articles are:
Delaware Attorney Discusses Schools and Teen Dating Violence
Teen Dating Violence In Schools
In June 2009, Delaware’s General Assembly established a Teen Dating Violence Task Force. The Task Force was given the responsibility of submitting a report containing recommendations for schools relating to policies on teen dating violence. The report has been written, and here are some of the highlights:
First and foremost is the adoption of the following definition of dating violence:
“Dating violence shall be defined as a pattern of assaultive and controlling behaviors that one person uses against another in order to gain or maintain power in a current or past relationship. The abuser intentionally behaves in ways that can cause fear, degradation, humiliation, injury or harm or uses any other coercive behaviors to control the other person. Abuse can occur in both heterosexual and same-sex or serious and casual relationships and covers a wide range of behaviors that includes harassment, verbal, emotional and economic abuse, sexual abuse, stalking, and physical abuse.”
The Task Force did some research into what other states are doing about this problem, and noted that “in 2009 and 2010, twenty-two (22) states introduced or enacted legislation that directs their Department of Education to implement policies for reporting and responding to dating violence and/or required schools to provide dating violence education.”
Examining the social implications of dating violence, the Task Force found that “dating violence involves a pattern of coercive, manipulative behavior that one teen uses against the other for the purpose of establishing and maintaining power and control.’
And, the Task Force explained why it is so important to establish school policies: “teen dating violence is a threat to school safety and undermines our schools’ capacity to accomplish their core mission, academic achievement.”
If you are a student or the parent of a student who is the victim of teen dating violence in school, contact a Delaware attorney to learn what your options are for ending the violence.
