FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 9, 2016

Media Contacts:

• Jessica Merrill, Communications & Development Manager: jessica@cpedv.org | (916) 444-7163, x118
• Sergio Reyes, Communications Director, Office of Senator Connie M. Leyva: Sergio.Reyes@sen.ca.gov | (916) 651-4020

Resolution commemorates February as Teen Dating Violence Month

Public awareness campaign highlights school policies on adolescent dating abuse as a solution

SACRAMENTO — A Senate Concurring Resolution introduced by Senator Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino) has declared February Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month (Teen DV Month), alongside awareness efforts occurring nation-wide. With one in four adolescents experiencing dating abuse each year[1], Senator Leyva joins the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence (the Partnership) in calling on Californians to support youth with the tools they need to develop healthy relationships. The Partnership’s campaign, We All Have a Role in Ending Adolescent Dating Abuse, reminds everyone that communities have the ability to work together and prevent adolescent dating abuse.

“Relationships have a big impact on young peoples’ lives,” said Kathy Moore, Executive Director of the Partnership. “When relationships are unsupportive and disrespectful, they can have negative effects on a school’s overall climate and individuals’ academic performance. Instead, communities should act now to ensure that young people engage in healthy relationships and live up to their full potential. When school districts incorporate adolescent dating abuse policies into their school safety plans, communities make great strides in achieving those goals.”

Senator Leyva worked with the Partnership and championed the Healthy Relationships & Safe Schools Act last year, which would have required middle schools and high schools to address adolescent dating abuse with prevention and response policies. While that bill did not move forward, Senator Leyva’s commitment to safe and respectful relationships among California’s youth remains firm:

“Teen dating violence continues to directly affect far too many young people up and down the Golden State,” Senator Leyva said.  “I am proud to author SCR 103 proclaiming February 2016 as Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month so that we can continue to build awareness, as well as help ensure safe and healthy dating relationships for our teens here in California.  As parents and adults, we clearly have an important role in keeping our young people safe—in school, at home and within our communities—so that they too can grow up and thrive to lead happy and successful lives as adults.”

All Californians can get involved in the Partnership’s Teen Dating Violence Month campaign this February. In particular, the campaign includes a toolkit designed for education leaders wanting to learn more about adolescent dating abuse and school policy solutions. Other campaign resources and activities include a prevention quiz, a live Periscope chat on February 24^th discussing education policy efforts, and a policy brief issued by the Partnership and the California School Boards Association.

About the Partnership

The California Partnership to End Domestic Violence (the Partnership) is California’s recognized domestic violence coalition, representing over 1,000 advocates, organizations and allied individuals across the state. Working at the local, state and national levels for nearly 40 years, the Partnership has a long track record of successfully passing over 200 pieces of legislation on behalf of domestic violence victims and their children. The Partnership believes that by sharing expertise, advocates and legislators can end domestic violence. Through our public policy, communications and capacity building programs, we create system-wide change that supports survivors and invests in prevention. Every day we inspire, inform and connect all those concerned with this issue, because together we’re stronger. With offices in Sacramento, the Partnership’s member programs span the entire state. For more information, visit www.cpedv.org.

About Senator Leyva:

Elected to represent the 20th State Senate District in 2014, Senator Connie M. Leyva is serving her first term in the California State Senate.  The district includes the cities and communities of Bloomington, Chino, Colton, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Montclair, Muscoy, Ontario, Pomona, Rialto and San Bernardino.  Senator Leyva serves as Democratic Caucus Chair of the California State Senate, as well as on the following committees: Appropriations; Education; Energy, Utilities and Communications; Joint Legislative Audit; Rules and Transportation and Housing.  She also currently serves on the Senate Select Committees on California-Mexico Cooperation, Manufactured Home Communities, Ports & Goods Movement and Women and Inequality: Strategies to Promote Opportunity.  Raised in Chino, Senator Leyva has lived in the Inland Empire since she was a small child.  She attended local schools and graduated from the University of Redlands with a bachelor’s degree in communicative disorders.  Senator Leyva and her husband Al live in Chino and are the proud parents of recent college graduate twins, Allie and Jessie.

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