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Sunday, October 26, 2008

Archdiocese Warns Teens about Sexual Violence

In the wake of the Catholic church's priest-abuse crisis, the Philadelphia archdiocese has released a short film that seeks to educate teens about sexual abuse, and urge them to report sexual violence. In the film, teens are reminded that victims of sexual abuse are never to blame.
"Cardinal Justin Rigali introduced the film to an audience of several hundred people at St. Joseph's University, including selected students. He said afterwards that the goal was to give hope to victims, not to dwell on abusers."
The film will be shown to sophomores, juniors, and seniors at all 21 of the archdiocese's Philadelphia-area high schools. Source: Associated Press

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Thursday, October 23, 2008

Study Looks at Lives of Young Men Who Commit Dating Violence

Though there are numerous studies on the effect dating violence has on women, little is known about what causes men to act violently towards their partners. To that end, a recent study tries to find some answers.
"[Elizabeth] Miller and [Elizabeth] Reed said that the study is from an urban sample of boys in programs for dating violence perpetration and, therefore, does not represent all boys who perpetrate abusive behaviors towards girlfriends. However, it offers some important, initial insights into the life contexts of boys that may contribute to dating violence."
Some of those life contexts include having a violent home life or living in a violent neighborhood, engaging in peer relationships that encourage the mistreatment of women, and experiencing inadequate support at school, the researchers said. Source: Science Blog

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Monday, October 20, 2008

Mother of Slain Teen Takes Stand Against Violence

Brenda Porter's 17-year-old son was shot and killed by another teenager. The tragic death moved Porter to action, and she developed a program to reach out to children and prevent more needless deaths.
"A random shooting took the life of a successful teenage commercial artist. Today, his memory lives on through a youth program Porter created called Choice Time. Children, many of them with troubled pasts, help raise money to support awareness for juvenile crime. In the process, kids learn to make positive choices..."
Children in the program also go on field trips, attend bible classes, and learn about job skills. Porter said she feels responsible for pointing kids in a positive direction, and has put this sense of responsibility into action. Source: CW Arkansas

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Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Study Finds Increased Dating Abuse among Young Adolescents

A survey conducted by Teenage Research Unlimited has found disturbing trends of dating abuse among "tweens" ages 11 to 14. The survey was commissioned by Liz Claiborne, Inc., loveisrespect.org, and the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline.
"Among tweens that have dated, 62 percent say they know friends who have been verbally abused; 41 percent know friends who have been called names, put down, or insulted via cell phone, instant messaging or social networking sites; and 20 percent have been struck in anger by a boyfriend or girlfriend."
The survey's alarming results have prompted the National Association of Attorneys General to pass a resolution requiring teen dating violence and abuse curriculum in every school. It has also prompted child psychologists to remind parents about the important role they play in educating their children about sexual health and appropriate relational behavior. Source: CBS News

Read When Teen Romance Turns Violent for more information.

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Friday, June 6, 2008

Values Can Serve as a Buffer

Researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have found that a teenager's values helped determine how he would respond to violent behavior at school. The study was conducted via questionnaires that were given to 907 Jewish and Arab students in grades 10 through 12 that attended separate schools.
"In both Arab and Jewish schools, adolescents who value power... reported more violent behavior than their peers. Teenagers who valued universalism... and those who valued conformity... reported less violent behavior than their peers."
The study's findings emphasize the important role parents and other caregivers have in teaching their kids about good, moral behavior. Source: MediLexicon News

Turn-About Ranch is a real working teen ranch camp were teenagers learn about traditional values such as honesty and hard work. Visit TurnAboutRanch.com to learn more.

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Friday, May 30, 2008

Teen Dating Violence: Love is Not Abuse

When Ashley was 18 years old, she was raped by her high school boyfriend. Now, over a decade later, the emotional scars haven't completely healed. She has begun speaking to teens and parents, hoping to raise awareness about teen dating violence.
"According to the Texas Council on Family Violence, 13 percent of teenage girls in relationships say they've been physically abused. Only 33 percent of teenagers in abusive relationships ask for help, and less than 25 percent say they've talked about dating violence with their parents."
That's why Ashley has become a public speaker. She hopes that if she talks first, young girls who are in unhealthy relationships will feel the freedom to start talking, too. Source: KBTX

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Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Showing Kids a Life Outside Gangs

Charlotte Mills of Modesto, California, spends her days talking to kids who are caught up in drugs, gangs, and violence. She's not a cop or a court-appointed attorney; she's more like a "life coach" for at-risk teens.
"The key, she said, is to show them alternatives to lives of violence and crime. She helps them work toward their high school diplomas. She helps them find jobs. As novel as it might seem, Mills takes them on field trips: to colleges, to museums, to tourist spots... In other words, she tries to give them a taste of what other kids experience - those who aren't hanging out in parks, flashing colors and dodging bullets."
The program is a collaborative effort between Stanislaus County Juvenile Probation and the Center for Human Services where Mills is an employee. Jerry Powers, probation chief for Stanislaus County, believes programs like this are vital, and far less expensive than the cost of keeping someone in jail. Source: Modesto Bee

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Friday, May 23, 2008

Ohio Endorses Dating Violence Bill

Representative Edna Brown (D., Toledo) recently introduced a bill to the Ohio House of Representatives which expands the protection offered to teens that are or have been in an abusive dating relationship. House Bill 247 was approved on Wednesday and is now headed to the Senate for consideration.
"Ms. Brown's bill... expands the list of allegations that could allow an alleged victim to seek protection to include felonious assault, aggravated assault, menacing, aggravated menacing, menacing by stalking, or a sexually oriented offense or its equivalent within a dating relationship."
The bill also allows foster parents to request protection orders on behalf of a teen that is in their care. Source: Toledo Blade

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Monday, April 28, 2008

Let Kids Know They're Valued

Currently, there are many stories in the news about teenagers who have violently acted out against either a peer or an adult. Teens are beating up fellow students, threatening to kill teachers, and some are committing suicide.
"We can't look at these situations as isolated and mere anecdotal examples of dysfunctional kids. After all, suicide is still among the leading causes of teenage deaths. And too many youths resort to resolving their beefs by trying to snuff somebody out or bust them up."
Stan Simpson, a columnist for The Hartford Courant, believes these troubled kids all have a couple of things in common: an unstable home and the feeling that no one understands them or cares. He urges adults to take time to remind the young people in their lives how valuable they are and how much they are loved and appreciated. Source: The Hartford Courant

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Monday, March 10, 2008

Childhood Trauma Linked to Teen Smoking

Teens are more likely to smoke if they have been victims of trauma, such as unwanted sexual contact, physical abuse, or interpersonal violence.

Dr. Bernard Fuemmeler, a Duke University professor, looked at the records of more than 15,000 people ages 15 to 22 and found that those who had experienced childhood trauma were more likely to smoke in their early teen years. Witnessing or being a victim of physical assault nearly doubled the chances of a teen starting to smoke in the same year.

This study appears in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

If your child has suffered a traumatic event and hasn't been able to fully recover from it, a high quality, therapeutic boarding school may help. Boarding schools that offer therapy can help teens with a variety of issues while they still earn school credits. Visit BoardingSchoolsInfo.com for a list of therapeutic boarding schools.

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Monday, February 4, 2008

Study Finds Decline in School Violence

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released hopeful results of a study on school violence. The report found that school-associated homicide rates decreased significantly from 1992 thru the 2006 school year.
"The report shows a decline in the rates of single-victim school-associated homicides, while multiple-victim homicide rates, which were much fewer in number, remained stable... 'The decline in episodes of school-associated violence is promising and encouraging,' said Dr. Ileana Arias, Director of the CDC's Injury Center."
The study also found that schools are still safe, with homicides accounting for less than 1% of the total number of homicides that occur within that age group.

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Sunday, January 27, 2008

Friends Don't Support Teens Involved in Dating Violence

Teens turn away when friends bring up dating violence, according to a new study from the University of Michigan and Wayne State University.

Researchers surveyed 224 high school students about whom they turn to with their problems involving romantic relationships. Most talked things over with friends rather than family members. However, the teens told researchers that if they tried to bring up dating violence, their friends would change the subject.

"Peers might feel threatened when hearing of severe violence because they might fear the abuser or might be reminded that they too are vulnerable to severe violence in their relationships," said the study's co-author, Professor Richard Toman at Michigan's School of Social Work.

This study appears in the Journal of Adolescence.

Worried that your teen is experimenting with drugs or alcohol? Visit Adolescent-Substance-Abuse.com to learn how to recognize the signs and learn how to help your teenager.

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Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Dating Violence Linked to Mental Health Problems

Researchers at the University of Minnesota have found a link between teenage dating violence and health problems like binge eating, cigarette smoking, alcohol and marijuana use, and depression.

Dr. Diann Ackard of the University of Minnesota surveyed 23 boys and 102 girls who had experienced dating violence and compared their health to that of 671 boys and 102 girls without such a history in interviews in 1999 and then again in 2004.

Dr. Ackard, writing in the Journal of Pediatrics, reports that about 20% of teenage girls and 10% of teenage boys are abused sexually or physically by dating partners every year.

Concerned your teen may be suffering from depression? Visit AboutTeenDepression.com to learn more.

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Friday, December 21, 2007

Teen Dating Violence Leads to Risky Health Behavior

Teens that have been abused by dating partners are more likely to develop risky behaviors like eating disorders and suicidal thoughts. A team of researchers from the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis compared the behaviors of boys and girls who had experienced dating violence with those who hadn't.
"Both boys and girls who had experienced dating violence were more likely to display three or more of 10 behavioral and psychological health problems including binge eating, cigarette smoking, alcohol or marijuana use, depressive symptoms and low self-esteem, the researchers found. The relationship was particularly strong for girls."
Dr. Diann Ackard suggested that parents ask questions about teens' relationships; particularly how they feel when they're with certain people – which can help determine whether the teen is at risk of being abused.

Copper Canyon Academy is a residential treatment center for troubled girls. By offering accredited academics and therapy, Copper Canyon helps girls get back on track.

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Monday, December 17, 2007

Absent Parents can Cause Violent Kids

Nineteen-year-old Robert Hawkins, who opened fire in an Omaha, Nebraska mall this week, spent most of his life moving and out of the foster care system. Psychologist warn that a lack of parental involvement in a child's life can make a child feel like he has no one to turn to, and affects how teens respond to negative attention. A lack of healthy emotional bonding with a parent hinders a child's ability to view people as more than just objects.
"[Psychologist Dr. Louis] Mortillaro said some warning signs for potential violent outbursts in children include feelings of not fitting in, kids who are teased constantly, those who are sent to the office for harming classmates or animals and those who are not afraid to act on their violent tendencies"
Parents are encouraged to develop appropriate, healthy emotional bonds with their kids, even if the parents are separated, divorced or never married at all.

Need parenting tips for your troubled teen? Visit ByParents-forParents.com for free parenting tips, advice, and resources for parents of teenagers.

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Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Media Violence Could be Considered a Public Health Threat

Children exposed to violence in video games, television and movies are more likely to be violent both short- and long-term, according to a study from the University of Michigan.

Dr. Rowell Huesmann compared the public health effect of media violence to exposure to cigarette smoke, asbestos and lead. He examined 41 media violence studies done between 1963 and 2007 and found that exposure raises the chances that a person will commit violent acts immediately and in the future.

He explained that the mass media has made violence available to a broad population.
"It is not just kids in bad neighborhoods or with bad friends who are exposed to bad things when they go out on the street," he explained. "A 'virtual' bad street is easily available to most youth now."
This study appears in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

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Sunday, November 18, 2007

Bullying Victims Offer Suffer Silently

Bullying in America's schools is more common than many parents would believe. A recent study found that 9 out of 10 elementary students reported being bullied, and 6 our 10 reported bullying a fellow student. Many children feel they can't talk about their situation, and so, they suffer in silence.
"But the danger of not talking about bullies or the victims of bullying is extreme, especially with the increasing use of violence to settle school-aged grudges. The fury once expressed by words and fists has manifested itself with a 15-year-old girl fatally stabbed on a Cleveland street, an alienated loner striding into school with weapons drawn, and an honor-roll student who left a seven-page suicide note saying he was killing himself because classmates who called him names like gay or faggot were unrelenting."
Though some may be tempted to brush off bullying as a "rite of passage", an increasing number of educators are speaking out - saying that the type and frequency of bullying is getting worse. Parents need to make sure their kids know it's ok to tell someone if they're being bullying and that it's not ok to pick on other kids for any reason.

Students with learning disabilities are often picked on; attending a school where everyone has some form of learning disorder or another can help. Learn more at LearningDisabilitiesInfo.com.

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Monday, November 12, 2007

Arlington Addresses Gang Problem

Though its gang problem isn't as bad as some other cities, Arlington, Texas has its share of gang-related activity. Just last month a young man was shot and killed in what was believed to be gang-related activity.
"...Arlington police said that what concerns them most is that while the number of gangs in the city has remained fairly constant over the past few years, the violence seems to be escalating."
The Second Annual Gang & Youth Education and Awareness Conference addressed these concerns on Wednesday and Thursday with law enforcement officials from throughout North Texas. A possible sales tax increase will also help Arlington police be proactive in addressing gang-related issues.

A working teen ranch, like Turn-About Ranch in Utah, can help instill real values, such as hard work and honesty, in a teenager struggling with authority and direction. Visit TurnAboutRanch.com to learn more.

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Sunday, September 9, 2007

Teenagers Who Behave Violently At Risk for Domestic Violence Later

A 20-year study of 800 people found that those who were violent as teenagers were more likely to engage in domestic violence as young adults.

Researchers at the University of Washington/Seattle began their study in 1985 when participants were in fifth grade. Those who were violent teenagers were more likely to partner with someone who had a similar history, and create a household in which people kicked, bit, and hit one another.

"Most people think youth violence and domestic violence are separate problems, but this study shows they are intertwined," said Professor Todd Herrenkohl, lead author of the study.

Dr. Herrenkohl said his work indicates that society could prevent domestic violence by teaching teenagers to be less aggressive.

This study appears in the journal Violence and Victims.

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Friday, September 7, 2007

Tearaway Teens

Teens in Scotland are become the subject of much talk and speculation. As teen violence increases and parental guidance decreases, teens are beginning to terrorize their communities.
"Closer to home, teenage gangs have disrupted life for residents in Granton Crescent, driving at least three families from their homes because of their wayward and uncontrollable behavior, while earlier this month a gang of around 20 teenagers attacked an elderly man in Minto Street before boarding a bus then smashing three of its windows."
Youth workers and other experts remind parents that setting boundaries in a necessary part of parenting. Children need to learn, at an early age, that some behavior is simply unacceptable. Building a solid relationship with your child will make the issue of boundaries an easier one. Read more at Living.Scotsman.com.

An increase in violence can be the result of teen drug and alcohol abuse. Learn how to keep you teen safe and away from drugs and alcohol at the Teen-Help-Directory.

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Monday, May 14, 2007

Teen Violence a Growing Problem

Calls from the Milwaukee school district to police have become a daily occurrence. Over 127 MPS employees reported being physically assaulted in the first semester of the school year.
"The violence is worst at a handful of schools, and is caused by a small percentage of the district's 90,000 students. But their actions are taking a tool on staff, teachers, taxpayers and students who want to learn."
The district has received an additional $1 million in funding which will, in part, cover the cost of a school policing pilot program. Read more at JSOnline.com.

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