LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to
proclaim February 2013, as Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention
Month in the State of New York

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize official
months that are set aside to increase awareness of serious issues that
affect the lives of our teens and young adults from the State of New
York; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and fully in accord with its long-
standing traditions, it is the sense of this Legislative Body to memori-
alize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim February 2013, as Teen Dating
Violence Awareness and Pevention Month in the State of New York, in
conjunction with National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention
Month; and
WHEREAS, Domestic violence is a serious problem, and not just an adult
problem; teens also experience abuse in their relationships; in fact,
teens and young adults are often the most at risk for domestic violence;
and
WHEREAS, Dating violence refers to a pattern of actual or threatened
acts of physical and/or emotional abuse perpetrated by an adolescent
against a current or former dating partner; and
WHEREAS, Abuse may include insults, coercion, social sabotage,
threats, and/or acts of physical abuse; the abusive teen uses this
pattern of violent and coercive behavior in order to gain power and
maintain control over the dating partner; and
WHEREAS, 1 in 3 female teenagers in a dating relationship has feared
for her physical safety; and
WHEREAS, 1 in 2 teenagers in a serious relationship has compromised
personal beliefs to please a partner; and
WHEREAS, 1 in 5 teenagers in a serious relationship reports having
been hit, slapped, or pushed by a partner; and
WHEREAS, 27 percent of teenagers have been in dating relationships in
which their partners called them names or put them down; and
WHEREAS, Technologies such as cell phones and the Internet have made
dating abuse both more pervasive and more hidden; and
WHEREAS, 30 percent of teenagers who have been in a dating relation-
ship say they have been text-messaged between 10 and 30 times per hour
by a partner seeking to find out where they are, what they are doing, or
who they are with; and
WHEREAS, 72 percent of teenagers who reported they had been checked up
on by a boyfriend or girlfriend 10 times per hour by email or text
messaging did not tell their parents; and
WHEREAS, Parents are largely unaware of the cell phone and Internet
harassment experienced by teenagers; and
WHEREAS, Violent relationships in adolescence can have serious ramifi-
cations for victims, putting them at higher risk for substance abuse,
eating disorders, suicide, and adult revictimization; and
WHEREAS, The severity of violence among dating partners has been shown
to be greater in cases where the pattern of violence has been estab-
lished in adolescence; and
WHEREAS, The establishment of Teen Dating Violence Awareness and
Prevention Month will benefit schools, communities, and families regard-
less of socio-economic status, race, or gender; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body recognizes the efforts of all those who
raise awareness and educate others about the very real dangers of teen
dating violence, thereby improving the quality of life for our youth,
our most precious resource; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim February 2013, as Teen
Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month in the State of New York;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New
York.