Pelham – Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D-88) will host a February 16 press conference at Pelham High School to discuss A.5354, legislation she has authored to promote student education about teen dating violence.

Paulin will be joined by representatives of Hope’s Door, a Pleasantville-based social service organization that seeks to end domestic violence and empower victims of abuse. The press conference, which is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m., and the legislation take on special significance because February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month.

Hope’s Door Teen Program Coordinator Gina Donahue, Hope’s Door Director of Development and Community Relations Jen Safsel, and Pelham High teacher Kim Lundy, who works with Hope’s Door to teach about teen dating violence in her health classes, will also attend.

“The prevalence of teen dating violence, especially in schools, is disturbing,” said Paulin, who also served as the executive director of My Sisters’ Place, an organization dedicated to ending violence in intimate relationships in the county. “I’ve seen the impact of teen dating violence and its aftermath. It can stay with you for a very long time.

“We need to educate our children about what is right and what is wrong, what is acceptable behavior and what isn’t. We need to have conversations with our children about what is healthy and what is not as early as possible. It is particularly important while they are still in high school, before they go off to college and are on their own.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that one in four adolescents is subject to physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse by a dating partner each year. Additionally, the CDC survey revealed that one in 10 students reported being hurt physically by his or her partner during the year before they were surveyed.

Paulin’s bill will require the NYS Health Commissioner to encourage the establishment of school-based teen dating violence prevention programs. Such programs would be incorporated into each school district’s existing health curriculum. The programs would include age-appropriate information about healthy relationships and teen dating violence as well as training programs for teachers, administrators, nurses and mental health staff for grades K-12.

“Teen dating violence is a serious public health concern, which we can and should address by focusing on prevention through education. We should encourage teachers to hold classroom discussions about healthy relationships to help our youth recognize inappropriate and harmful behaviors and prevent violence in dating relationships,” Paulin said. “By increasing awareness and providing students with the tools to manage situations in which they feel threatened or abused, or in which they are witness to threats or abuse, we can protect the health, safety and well-being of our youth and teens as they move on to college and beyond.”

Hope’s Door applauds Assemblywoman Amy Paulin for introducing this important legislation and for her steadfast leadership in ending violence against women and girls. One in three high school students experience some form of dating violence in their relationship. We must do all we can to empower teens with knowledge of healthy relationships and what to do when they or a peer confront the issue,” Hope’s Door Executive Director CarlLa Horton said.