THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	12
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

DESIGNATING THE FIRST WEEK IN FEBRUARY 2010 AS HAWAII TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION WEEK.

     WHEREAS, one in three female teenagers in a dating relationship has feared for her physical safety when with a partner; and

     WHEREAS, one in two teenagers in a serious relationship reports having compromised personal beliefs to please a partner; and

     WHEREAS, one in five 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 have called them names or "put them down"; and

     WHEREAS, 29 percent of girls who have been in a relationship report having been pressured to have sex or to engage in sexual activities that they did not want; 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 relationship say they have been text-messaged between ten and 30 times per hour by a partner seeking to determine their whereabouts, what they are doing, or who they are with; and

     WHEREAS, 72 percent of teenagers who reported that they had been checked on by a boyfriend or girlfriend ten times or more per hour by email or text message did not tell their parents; and

     WHEREAS, parents are largely unaware of cell phone and Internet harassment experienced by teenagers; and

     WHEREAS, involvement in violent relationships during the adolescent years can have serious ramifications for victims, putting them at higher risk for substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behavior, suicide, and adult re-victimization; and

     WHEREAS, the severity of violence between intimate partners has been observed to be greater in cases in which a pattern of violence has been established in adolescence; and

     WHEREAS, the establishment of "Hawaii Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week" will benefit schools, communities, and families regardless of socioeconomic status, race, or sex; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, that the first week in February 2010 is hereby designated as "Hawaii Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week"; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature calls upon the people of Hawaii, high schools, law enforcement personnel, state and local officials, and interested groups to observe "Hawaii Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week" with appropriate programs and activities that promote awareness and encourage prevention of teen dating violence in their communities; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Health, Superintendent of Education, President of the University of Hawaii, Attorney General, the mayor of each county, and the Executive Director of the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title: 

Hawaii Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week