Santa Clarita Valley teens and their parents can learn about important information regarding teenage domestic violence and relationships at an event Thur. Mar. 19, Domestic Violence Center of Santa Clarita Valley officials said Thursday.

There will be a teen dating violence panel discussion Thursday evening, at the City Hall Council Chambers from 6:30- 8:30 p.m. 

The panel of teen violence dating experts include officials from the Domestic Violence Center, Strength United and the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, said Karissa Valencia from the Domestic Violence Center.

“Teen dating violence is not easy to confront,” said Valencia, “but it’s estimated that about 1.5 million high school students, over the course of a year, are victims of teen dating violence.” 

The experts will be discussing sexual assault, the legal consequences of teen dating abuse and what parents can do to help, Valencia said.

“We hope to bring awareness to this important issue,” said Valencia.

About the Domestic Violence Center

The health effects of domestic violence are devastating. Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women in the 15-44 age range. In the United States, approximately two million injuries are sustained by women and 580,000 injuries are sustained by men due to domestic violence each year. Additionally, people experiencing domestic violence are more likely to have a wide range of physical and mental health problems. The rate of depression in victims of domestic violence is twice as high as the rate of depression of non-victims.

The health care costs of intimate partner violence are substantial. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that the direct physical and mental health care costs of domestic violence in the U.S. exceed $4 billion per year. Victims of domestic violence have twice the health care visits and utilization than people who do not experience domestic violence.

Domestic violence affects families at all socioeconomic levels, all education levels, all religions, and all ethnicities. Its impact on individual families is enormous and devastating but the impact on the community as a whole is equally devastating. It is a serious, widespread health and safety issue and must be treated as such.

Although victims are at increased risk of injury when trying to leave their batterer, they are safe only if they are able to successfully do so. Counseling, crisis shelters, and transitional living and employment programs are important support systems that women and children need to escape the hold of domestic violence. The Domestic Violence Center (DVC) of Santa Clarita Valley provides these support systems and does so in a cost effective, fiscally sound manner.

Domestic Violence Center of Santa Clarita Valley Provides Solutions