,,iv  #aae? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,h4 ,,res4 #aee  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,febru>y #bg1         
#bjag,mr4 ,lewis ( ,georgia submitt$ !  
foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to !    
,committee on ! ,judici>y  ,,resolution 
,express+ support = designation ( ! mon?
 ( ,febru>y #bjag z ,national ,te5 ,dat+
 ,viol5ce ,aw>5ess & ,prev5tion ,mon?4  
,:]eas :ile dat+ viol5ce1 dome/ic       
viol5ce1 sexual viol5ce1 & /alk+ affect 
wom5 reg>dless ( age1 te5s1 & "y wom5   
are especially vuln]able2 ,:]eas accord+
 to a ,national ,intimate ,p>tn] &      
,sexual ,viol5ce ,survey ( ! ,c5t]s =   
,disease ,control & ,prev5tion 7,,cdc71 
mo/ rape & intimate p>tn] viol5ce is    
fir/ exp]i5c$ be=e age #be2 ,:]eas      
accord+ to ! ,morbidity & ,mortality    
,weekly ,report ( ! ,,cdc ne>ly #a4e    
million high s*ool /ud5ts exp]i5c$      
physical dat+ viol5ce2 ,:]eas ,public   
,law #aac-d1 ! ,viol5ce ,aga9/ ,wom5    
,reau?orization ,act ( #bjac1 includes !
 ,,sm>t ,te5 ,dat+ ,viol5ce ,act1 a bill

 to improve ! coord9ation & effectiv5ess
 ( exi/+ programs to address abusive y\?
 relation%ips2 ,:]eas accord+ to ! #bjae
 ,y\? ,risk ,behavior ,surveillance     
,sy/em 7,,yrbss7 ( ! ,,cdc1 ne>ly #aj   
p]c5t ( high s*ool /ud5ts h be5 hit1    
slapp$1 or physically hurt by a dat+    
p>tn] 9 ! pa/ ye>2 ,:]eas a #bjab /udy z
 "p ( an indep5d5t evaluation ( ,/>t    
,/rong3 ,build+ ,heal?y ,te5            
,relation%ips1 an initiative aim$ at    
build+ heal?y relation%ips among middle 
s*ool y\?1 f9ds te5 dat+ viol5ce common 
ev5 among #g? grade /ud5ts1 ) ne>ly #a 9
 #f report+ physical dat+ viol5ce2      
,:]eas accord+ to data f ! ,,yrbss1     
almo/ #bj p]c5t ( te5 girls1 :o 7 expos$
 to physical dat+ viol5ce1 did n att5d  
s*ool on "o or m occasions dur+ ! pa/   
#cj days due to feel+ unsafe at s*ool or
 on ! way to or f s*ool2 ,:]eas a rec5t 
,ball ,/ate ,univ]sity ,/udy rec5t /udy 
f\nd t #ha p]c5t ( s*ool c\nselors      
report$ t !y did n h a s*ool protocol on
 h[ to respond to an incid5t ( te5 dat+ 

viol5ce1 b #fa p]c5t ( s*ool c\nselors  
report$ t !y _h assi/$ victims ( te5    
dat+ viol5ce 9 ! pa/ two ye>s2 ,:]eas a 
/udy publi%$ 9 ,p$iatrics sugge/s t te5 
dat+ viol5ce is a sub/antial public     
heal? problem z victims ( te5 dat+      
viol5ce are at increas$ risk ( mood &   
behavioral problems z "y adults1 & at   
increas$ risk ( future viol5ce 9        
relation%ips2 ,:]eas girls victimiz$ by 
a te5 boyfri5d report$ m heavy dr9k+1   
smok+1 depression1 & ?\ghts ( suicide1 &
 te5s ( bo? sexes :o 7 9 aggressive     
relation%ips 7 two to ?ree times m      
likely to be 9 viol5t relation%ips z "y 
adults2 ,:]eas be+ physically & sexually
 abus$ leaves te5 girls up to six times 
m likely to become pregnant & m ?an     
twice z likely to contract a sexually   
transmitt$ disease2 ,:]eas m ?an ?ree   
times z _m te5s 7#bj p]c5t7 z p>5ts (   
te5s 7#f p]c5t7 admit t p>5ts "k little 
or no?+ ab\t ! dat+ relation%ips (      
twe5s2 ,:]eas #gd p]c5t ( te5age boys & 
#ff p]c5t ( te5age girls say t !y h n _h

 a conv]sation ) a p>5t ab\t dat+ abuse 
9 ! pa/ ye>2 ,:]eas "o 9 f\r te5s 9 a   
relation%ip say t !y h be5 call$ names1 
h>ass$1 or put d[n by _! p>tn] ?r\gh    
phone calls & text+2 ,:]eas accord+ to !
 #bjaj ,college ,dat+ ,viol5ce & ,abuse 
,poll by ,liz ,claiborne ,inc41 #dc     
p]c5t ( college wom5 :o date report     
exp]i5c+ abusive dat+ behaviors2 ,:]eas 
#gj p]c5t ( college /ud5ts :o 7 9 an    
abusive relation%ip fail$ to realize t  
!y 7 9 an abusive relation%ip1 & #fj    
p]c5t ( su* /ud5ts said t no "o /epp$ 9 
to help !m :5 !y 7 9 an abusive         
relation%ip2 ,:]eas ! sev]ity ( viol5ce 
among intimate p>tn]s has be5 %[n to be 
great] 9 cases :]e ! patt]n ( viol5ce 0 
e/abli%$ 9 adolesc5ce2 ,:]eas prim>y    
prev5tion programs are a key "p (       
address+ te5 dat+ viol5ce1 & _m         
successful examples ( su* programs      
include education1 community outrea*1 & 
social m>ket+ campaigns t are culturally
 appropriate2 ,:]eas educat+ middle     
s*ool /ud5ts & _! p>5ts ab\t !          

importance ( build+ heal?y relation%ips 
& prev5t+ te5 dat+ viol5ce is key to    
det]r+ abuse be=e x beg9s2 ,:]eas skill$
 assessm5t & int]v5tion programs are    
necess>y = y\? victims & abus]s2 &      
,:]eas ! e/abli%m5t ( ! mon? ( ,febru>y 
#bjag z ,national ,te5 ,dat+ ,viol5ce   
,aw>5ess & ,prev5tion ,mon? w b5efit    
s*ools1 communities1 & families         
reg>dless ( socioeconomic /atus1 race1 &
 sex3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x  ,t ! ,h\se (    
,repres5tatives-- 7#a7 supports !       
designation ( ,national ,te5 ,dat+      
,viol5ce ,aw>5ess & ,prev5tion ,mon?2   
7#b7 supports communities 9 emp[]+ te5s 
to develop heal?y relation%ips ?r\gh\t  
_! lives2 &  7#c7 calls on ! p ( !      
,unit$ ,/ates1 includ+ y\?1 p>5ts1      
s*ools1 law en=cem5t1 ,/ate & local     
(ficials1 & int]e/$ gr\ps to obs]ve     
,national ,te5 ,dat+ ,viol5ce ,aw>5ess &
 ,prev5tion ,mon? ) appropriate programs
 & activities t promote aw>5ess &       
prev5tion ( te5 dat+ viol5ce 9 _!       
communities4