Pocono News Section

Money will Help Teens Avoid Abusive Relationships

Money will Help Teens Avoid Abusive Relationships - Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 5:15PM EST

Reported by: Laurie Monteforte
Wednesday, Sep 30, 2009 @ 05:15pm EDT
TOBYHANNA, MONROE COUNTY - A Center for Disease Control study showed many Middle School and High School Students are abused by their significant others. That study surveyed kids in 8th through 11th grades. It showed nearly one in ten students has been abused by a boyfriend or girlfriend.

The Verizon Foundation wants to change that. The foundation gave the Weller Health Education Center $14,000 Wednesday. The center will use the money for a domestic violence education program. It's designed for middle school students. "I think it's fantastic. I think our children need a lot of guidance right now," said Parent Kimberly Brown. Her son goes to Clear Run Intermediate School in Tobyhanna.

Beth Delay is in charge of Health and Physical Education for the Pocono Mountain School District. She said, "Kids are growing up faster today - unfortunately - than they did years ago."

The school district surveyed eighth to eleventh grade students and found 13 percent of them have been abused by someone they dated. That's about three percent higher than the national average.

Brown said, "I think that they see violence in other aspects that they didn't see before. It's much more available to them."

Her son got his first girlfriend last year. He was eleven years old at the time. Brown said, "It's very important to them. It's a status for them to have boyfriend and girlfriends."

The Weller Center is asking kids 20 questions about relationships. The center will use that information to put together violence education workshops in the Spring. "I think it's very good. So I think the program is fantastic," said Brown.

Reading, writing, arithmetic...and relationships...all part of a modern day at school.

The program will involve teens in Monroe, Carbon, Pike and Wayne counties.