BILL NUMBER: ACR 6	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	RESOLUTION CHAPTER  11
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  MARCH 14, 2007
	ADOPTED IN SENATE  MARCH 12, 2007
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY  FEBRUARY 13, 2007
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  FEBRUARY 13, 2007

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Ma
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Aghazarian, Arambula, Bass, Beall,
Benoit, Berg, Blakeslee, Brownley, Caballero, Charles Calderon,
Carter, Cook, Coto, Davis, De Leon, DeSaulnier, DeVore, Duvall,
Dymally, Emmerson, Eng, Evans, Feuer, Galgiani, Garcia, Garrick,
Hancock, Hayashi, Horton, Huffman, Jones, Karnette, Krekorian, Laird,
Leno, Levine, Lieber, Lieu, Mendoza, Mullin, Nakanishi, Nava,
Niello, Nunez, Parra, Plescia, Portantino, Richardson, Ruskin, Salas,
Saldana, Smyth, Solorio, Strickland, Swanson, Torrico, Villines, and
Wolk)

                        JANUARY 8, 2007

   Relative to teenage dating violence.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   ACR 6, Ma. Teenage dating violence.
   This measure would recognize February 5 to 9, 2007, as Teenage
Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week.



   WHEREAS, Teenage dating violence is a serious and growing problem
throughout California; and
   WHEREAS, Dating violence is controlling, abusive, and aggressive
behavior in a relationship, that can occur in heterosexual or
homosexual relationships. It can include verbal, emotional, physical,
or sexual abuse, or a combination of any of those; and
   WHEREAS, One in three teenagers has experienced violence in a
dating relationship; and
   WHEREAS, Anyone can be a victim of dating violence. Both boys and
girls are victims, but boys and girls tend to abuse their partners in
different ways. Girls are more likely to yell, threaten to hurt
themselves, pinch, slap, scratch, or kick, while boys are more likely
to physically injure or force unwanted sexual activity. Some teenage
victims experience violence occasionally while others are abused
much more often; and
   WHEREAS, Young women, ages 16 to 24 years, inclusive, experience
the highest rates of dating violence; and
   WHEREAS, Teenage victims are highly vulnerable to being
revictimized; one study found that 80 percent of youths reporting
violent behavior had been victimized two or more times; and
   WHEREAS, Among female pupils ages 15 to 20 years, inclusive, who
reported at least one violent act during a dating relationship, 24
percent reported experiencing extremely violent incidents such as
rape or the use of weapons against them; and
   WHEREAS, In a study of California high school pupils, up to 7
percent indicated that they were victims of teenage dating violence;
and
   WHEREAS, Approximately one in five female public high school
pupils reported ever experiencing physical or sexual violence from
dating partners; and
   WHEREAS, Teenagers are less likely to report their victimization
than adults because of the shock, shame, and stigma attached to being
a victim of a crime. These obstacles represent a barrier to
vulnerable teenagers seeking help; and
   WHEREAS, Increased awareness of teenage dating violence is the
first step toward prevention of this type of abuse; and
   WHEREAS, Teenagers deserve to be in a relationship free of the
fear of violence. They have a right to have safe relationships; and
   WHEREAS, Governmental, private organizations, public officials as
well as private citizens must work together to raise the awareness of
the high incidence of teenage dating violence and to promote
prevention strategies; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature proclaims February 5 to 9,
2007, as Teenage Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week; and
be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.