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SKHS students hear the horror stories
By KATIE LAWLER
SOUTH KINGSTOWN - High school seniors attended a special assembly Tuesday morning to hear the horror stories of teen dating violence.
The assembly was coordinated by SKHS Health teacher Karen Murphy, while Attorney General Patrick Lynch and Curtis Corner Middle School teacher Ann Burke spoke to students. Students listened attentively as the speakers displayed their cases, documenting the tragedy of abusive relationships and the ways to help prevent them. “It’s an epidemic, not just in the U.S. but it’s an epidemic around the world,” said Murphy as she spoke to the students. The assembly related directly to students, mostly because of their age. Young people are three times more likely to be abused than adult women, and 20 percent of teenage girls are victims of dating violence. In addition, people within the age group of 16-24 are at the highest risk of violent interpersonal relationships, and that once people are in those relationships it takes an average of seven times to leave before the relationship is actually over. When Lynch spoke to students, he mentioned that last year in Rhode Island, there were 4,000 victims of domestic or sexual violence. “Be aware of the power you have, to send a message to each other that will stop violence and sexism, to know that you can make a difference,” said Lynch. The assembly spoke primarily to seniors, as they are about to leave for college. Burke focused on continuously evaluating relationships, because in college students will not be able to get an instant background check on a person through word of mouth. Burke, the founder of the Lindsay Ann Burke Memorial Foundation, lost her daughter to a violent relationship after Lindsay had left her ex-boyfriend for the third time. She stressed the importance of friends, and how standing by someone can make a difference in whether or not they get out of a dangerous relationship. Also important in ending any abusive relationship is a safety plan, that includes changing one’s phone number. Safety plans are extremely important in the process of leaving, because once a female has left she is at a higher risk of being abused or attacked. A peer education group from the University of Rhode Island also made a presentation to the students. The six URI students read the tales of six different women and children all killed due to dating violence. At the end of the assembly, female students were given bracelets, while male students were given key chains. The souvenirs were made and funded by Murphy’s health classes and advisory to remind students of the risks of abusive relationships. In order to fund the bracelets and key chains, printed T-shirts, designed by senior Sarah Johnson, were sold to students. Leading up to the assembly, health students painted T-shirts with anti-dating violence slogans, which were hung in the cafeteria. |
