Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Happy October 1 and Happy Domestic Violence Awareness Month!

Domestic violence is an issue that is very important to me and one that I think has an affect on everyone in the world. Domestic violence is a crime that happens in all countries, in all socioeconomic structures and to people of all ages.

One aspect of this issue that concerns me the most is teen dating violence. Especially preteens and young teenagers. Due to many factors that I won't get into right now, people this age really do not understand what it means to be in a relationship and how to treat their partners. But hopefully this will change soon. There is a law in the making which would make teen dating education mandatory in all public junior high and high schools. What a wonderful plan! I love it!

Emotional abuse is very common in young teenage relationships. Technology is making the abuse worse. When I was a teenager, there were no cellphones so I feel a little out of touch with todays young teenagers. However, from what I have read about teenagers today, boyfriends are keeping tabs on their girlfriends through text messages. I can relate with what these young girls must be going through, however my emotional abuse was through a landline and I actually had to listen to his voice. I had a boyfriend who called me over 100 times a day and back then I just though he was a stalker. Since then, I learned that I was being emotionally abused. You can turn off your cellphone or unplug your landline, but that makes the abuser come looking for you, thus the threat of physical violence. Many people, youngsters included, only think of domestic violence as physical abuse. Therefore, they do not think to ask for help or get out of a relationship when their partner does not attack them physically.

Since most parents suck and have no clue how to talk to their kids about anything, it is very important for public schools to teach teenagers the difference between an annoying partner and an abusive partner. Since school is where kids this age see their partners the most, school is where much of the abuse occurs.

Emotional abuse leaves just as many scars as physical abuse.