Nationally, 15.5 million U.S. children live in families in which partner violence occurred at least once in the past year. Each year, one in 10 American teenagers suffers physical violence at the hands of a boyfriend or girlfriend, and many others are sexually or emotionally abused. Dating violence can inflict long-lasting pain, putting survivors at increased risk of substance abuse, depression, poor academic performance, and experiencing further violence from a partner.
In 2010, the U.S. Senate designated February as National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month and passed Resolution 373 as a renewed commitment to support communities in their efforts toward prevention of abuse, lending support to survivors and empower teens to develop healthier relationships.
In light of the national resolution—and in honor of the work being done by Kandee Lewis, executive director for the Positive Results Corporation (PRC) through their annual ‘Stop The Pain’ Teen Summits— the cities of Los Angeles (2010), Inglewood (2012) and Santa Monica (2014) have replicated the National Resolutions and bestowed them on PRC. In the spirit of creating awareness, Lewis, along with Alisa Orduna of Callie Rose Literary Arts Cafe, are debuting “The Face of Violence & Survival” touring exhibit.
“The Face of Violence and Survival’s objective is to raise awareness of Teen Dating Violence, get people talking about the issue, learn the facts, break misconceptions about the issue in order to prevent it,” Lewis said.
The first stop in the tour will be Inglewood’s Callie Rose Literary Arts Cafe, 207 E. Nutwood St., owned and operated by Orduna. The event will highlight the framed proclamations from each city, as well as a photo exhibit, displaying a broad range of individuals whose lives have been touched by violence. The exhibit is designed to give the attendees a glimpse into the lives and stories and share the hope and healing made possible through programs like “Stop The Pain.” This “Living Exhibit” invites the attendee to personally participate by selecting “paper cut hands” of various colors that signify the type of abuse they or a loved one experienced.
For information on sponsorship opportunities, having your loved one’s photo included in this exhibit, or to bring this event to your city, contact Kandeele@prc123.org.
