IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 851 

Expressing support for designation of the month of February 2020 as 

‘‘National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 12, 2020 

Mr. LEWIS (for himself, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Ms. NORTON, Ms. KELLY

of Illinois, and Ms. JOHNSON of Texas) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for designation of the month of February 

2020 as ‘‘National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and 

Prevention Month’’. 

Whereas according to the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention (in this resolution referred to as the ‘‘CDC’’), 

teen dating violence includes 4 types of behavior: (1) 

physical violence, (2) sexual violence, (3) psychological 

aggression, and (4) stalking; 

Whereas while dating violence, domestic violence, sexual violence, and stalking affect women regardless of age, teens 

and young women are especially vulnerable; 

Whereas according to a study done by the National Council 

on Crime and Delinquency, approximately 1 in 3 adolesVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:29 Feb 12, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR851.IH HR851

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•HRES 851 IH 

cent girls in the United States is a victim of physical, 

emotional, or verbal abuse from a dating partner; 

Whereas 1 in 9 female and 1 in 36 male high school students 

report having experienced sexual dating violence in the 

last year; 

Whereas the CDC reported that nearly 1 in 11 female teens 

and about 1 in 15 male teens reported experiencing physical dating violence in the last year; 

Whereas teaching teens about the consequences of intimate 

partner violence and supporting the development of 

healthy, respectful, and nonviolent relationships have the 

potential to decrease teen dating violence in future generations; 

Whereas educating middle school students and their parents 

about the importance of building healthy relationships 

and preventing teen dating violence is key to deterring 

abuse before it begins; 

Whereas according to a National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey of the CDC, 80 percent of female 

rape victims experienced their first rape before the age of 

25, and almost half experienced their first rape before 

the age of 18; 

Whereas according to the same National Intimate Partner 

and Sexual Violence Survey, 26 percent of women and 15 

percent of men who were victims of contact sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime first experienced these or other forms 

of violence by that partner before the age of 18; 

Whereas approximately 35 percent of women who were raped 

as minors were also raped as adults; 


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•HRES 851 IH 

Whereas developing healthy relationship practices and standards in youth under the age of 18 can be critical to eliminating sexual violence and other forms of intimate partner violence; 

Whereas teen dating violence is a preventable public health 

crisis that can negatively impact teens and youth in all 

parts of the United States; 

Whereas teens who have experienced dating violence are more 

than twice as likely as others to consider suicide; 

Whereas the CDC indicates that there are several community 

factors, such as poverty, low capital-lack of institutions, 

poor neighborhood support and cohesion, weak community sanctions against intimate partner violence, and high 

alcohol outlet density, that place individuals at greater 

risk for perpetrating intimate partner violence; 

Whereas the CDC also indicates that community factors, 

such as neighborhood collective efficacy, and coordination 

of resources and services among community agencies, 

may reduce an individual’s risk of perpetrating intimate 

partner violence; 

Whereas primary prevention programs are a key part of addressing teen dating violence, and many successful examples of such programs include education, community outreach, and social marketing campaigns that are culturally 

appropriate; 

Whereas evidence-based programs such as the ‘‘Coaching 

Boys Into Men’’ program have demonstrated that teaching adolescent men how to have healthy and nonviolent 

relationships may increase positive bystander behavior 

and prevent men from becoming perpetrators of teen dating violence; 


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•HRES 851 IH 

Whereas the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, as 

amended by the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013, includes the SMART Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Act, which improves the 

coordination and effectiveness of existing programs to address abusive youth relationships; 

Whereas skilled assessment and intervention programs are 

necessary for youth victims and abusers; and 

Whereas the establishment of the month of February 2020 

as National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month will benefit schools, communities, and families 

regardless of socioeconomic status, race, and sex: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the designation of ‘‘National Teen 

3 Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month’’; 

4 (2) supports communities in empowering teens 

5 to develop healthy relationships throughout their 

6 lives; 

7 (3) recognizes the national impact of teen dat8 ing violence on public health and its specific and dis9 proportionate impact on young women; and 

10 (4) calls on the people of the United States, in11 cluding youth, parents, schools, law enforcement, 

12 State and local officials, nonprofit organizations, and 

13 interested groups to observe National Teen Dating 

14 Violence Awareness and Prevention Month with ap15 propriate programs and activities that promote 


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•HRES 851 IH 

1 awareness and prevention of teen dating violence in 

2 communities across the country. 

Æ 


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