Groups seek to raise awareness of teen dating violence

By Rich Coleman

Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2011 | 10:49 p.m.

At a certain point, Alissia McKinzie decided she’d had enough.

“I was just really tired of getting beat up everyday,” she said in front of a huddle of TV cameras at the Metro Police Northeast Area Command Center. “One day did not go by where I did not get beat up. That’s something I don’t want for myself. I was tired of it, so I got out of it.”

McKinzie, a 17-year-old mother who has experienced domestic abuse, spoke out against such violence in teenage relationships Tuesday afternoon to kick off Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month.

To bring attention to the issue of teen dating violence, Metro joined with several organizations, including Stopping Abuse in Family Environment (S.A.F.E.), Safe Nest, Coalition Against Sexual Violence, and Family and Child Treatment of Southern Nevada (FACT).

“For too long, we’ve sat along the sidelines and ignored the red flags, the warning signs, the patterns of abuse and not provided the necessary services and support needed to reduce violence,” said Lt. Rob Lundquist of Metro’s domestic violence division.

Lundquist said Metro investigates thousands of domestic violence, stalking and harassment cases every year, but violence in teen relationships is often not reported or is under-reported.

“Teen dating violence has the same components of domestic violence. It’s all about power and control,” Lundquist said. “We know the patterns of abuse developed in adolescence transcends. It moves into the adult life, and later we’re responding to those calls of domestic violence.”

Lundquist said teen dating violence can lead to long-term problems like substance abuse, eating disorders, academic problems and attempts at suicide. An average of 1.5 million high school students report or experience abuse from a dating partner each year, Lundquist said.

“There’s probably more than statistics even say. A lot of people are afraid (to report violence),” Traci Jasper said. Jasper, like McKinzie, has experienced domestic violence and sought the help of FACT to aid her and her family.

“They’ve been supportive of my needs when it comes to clothing and food, been counseling me in areas I have trouble in. Everything a teenager would need,” Jasper said. “The more people know that there’s people out there to help them, the more they’ll feel comfortable. It’s important for others to know they’re not alone and people will listen.”

The first step, Lundquist said, is for everyone in the community to be active in reporting signs of domestic violence and teen dating violence.

“This is not just a police department issue. This is not just an advocate issue. This is all of our issues,” he said.

For the month of February, posters with phone numbers to various shelters, resource centers and clinics will be posted throughout the city. S.A.F.E. will be going to high schools with teens to educate their peers.

“Raising awareness through teens is key,” Samantha Wiley of S.A.F.E. said. “We’re getting them to speak out about the abuse and what’s going on and that there is help out there.”