Submitted Report
What can a teenager do about dating violence?
Some answers may be found at the upcoming annual meeting of the Hays Caldwell Women’s Center (HCWC).
“Teens: Agents of Change” is the theme of the meeting at which four local teenagers will speak on the theme of dating violence and form a panel answering questions.
“Dating violence continues destroying lives and families, and it’s got to stop,” said Marla Johnson, Executive Director of HCWC. “Teen-agers will be the next generation to confront dating violence which occurs most often in one’s twenties, so we are creating a dialogue with them and we want the public, students and teachers to participate.”
The teen speakers will include Tori Roberts, participant in the recent Dripping Springs High School dating violence “mock trial”; Miguel Gonzalez and Alex Sohl, teammates on the San Marcos High School varsity football team which participated in the Hays County Sheriff’s Office’s anti-teen-dating violence initiative; and Wimberley’s Emma Kypures, whose original artwork was selected for the 2014 “Dating Violence Awareness Calendar” created to highlight National Crime Victim Rights Week.
Dating violence is grouped with family violence and domestic violence by crisis centers because all include abuse by intimate partners.
During the 12-month period that ended on September 30, 2013, HCWC served 872 victims of dating and family violence – 336 of whom also required shelter from their abusers. The nonprofit operates the McCoy Family Shelter and the area’s HELPline and provides free counseling, advocacy and other services to residents of Hays County and Caldwell County.
The gathering will take place at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 4 at the San Marcos City Park Recreation Hall, 170 Charles Austin Drive.
