Bill Text: NJ AJR39 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Designates February of each year as "Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month" in New Jersey.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-06 - Substituted by SJR24 (SS) [AJR39 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-AJR39-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman JOHN F. MCKEON
District 27 (Essex and Morris)
Assemblywoman PAMELA R. LAMPITT
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
SYNOPSIS
Designates February of each year as "Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month" in New Jersey.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Joint Resolution designating February of each year as "Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month" in New Jersey.
Whereas, Dating, domestic and sexual violence affect women regardless of their age, and teens and young women are especially vulnerable; and
Whereas, Approximately one in three adolescent girls in the United States is a victim of physical, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds victimization rates for other types of violence affecting youth; and
Whereas, Nationwide, one in 10 high school students has been deliberately hit, slapped or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend, and more than one in four teenagers have been in a relationship where a partner is verbally abusive; and
Whereas, Violent relationships in adolescence can have serious ramifications for victims by putting the victims at higher risk for substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behavior, suicide, and adult revictimization; and
Whereas, Being physically and sexually abused leaves teen girls up to six times more likely to become pregnant and more than two times as likely to report a sexually transmitted disease; and
Whereas, Nearly three in four children ages 11 to 14 ("tweens") say that dating relationships usually begin at age 14 or younger; and one in five tweens say their friends are victims of dating violence, while nearly half of tweens who are in relationships know friends who are verbally abused; and
Whereas, A majority of parents believe they have had a conversation with their teen about what it means to be in a healthy relationship, but the majority of teens surveyed said that they have not had a conversation about dating abuse with a parent in the last year; and
Whereas, Digital abuse and "sexting" are becoming a new frontier for teen dating abuse and one in four teens in a relationship say they have been called names, harassed, or put down by their partner through cell phones and texting; and
Whereas, Three in 10 young people have sent or received nude pictures of other young people on their cell or online, while 61 percent who have "sexted" report being pressured to do so at least once; and
Whereas, The severity of violence among intimate partners has been shown to be greater in cases where the pattern of violence has been established in adolescence; and
Whereas, The permanent establishment of a Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month in this State will serve to improve the health and increase the safety of New Jersey teens and tweens who are involved in dating relationships; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. February of each year is designated as "Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month" in New Jersey in order to promote public awareness and increase prevention of teen dating violence.
2. The Governor is respectfully requested to annually issue a proclamation recognizing February as "Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month" in New Jersey and calling upon public officials, high schools, law enforcement agencies, the citizens of the State, and other interested groups to observe the month with appropriate activities and programs.
3. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This joint resolution designates February of each year as "Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month" in New Jersey in order to promote public awareness and increase prevention of teen dating violence. Under the joint resolution, the Governor is respectfully requested to annually issue a proclamation recognizing February as "Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month" in New Jersey and calling upon public officials, high schools, law enforcement agencies, the citizens of the State, and other interested groups to observe the month with appropriate activities and programs.
