Break the Cycle commends the Los Angeles Area School District (LAUSD) and board member Steve Zimmer for voting to enact a dating violence prevention policy yesterday.
Break the Cycle Executive Director Marjorie Gilberg says “LAUSD is setting a national precedent as one of the first districts to proactively address dating abuse. We hope schools across the nation will follow their lead. We are also so proud of the work of local organizations like Peace Over Violence for having such a significant impact on the national response to this issue.”
With one in three teens experiencing some form of dating abuse, the problem is more wide spread than any other type of youth violence. Ms. Gilberg continued, “this policy is the first step toward preventing abuse before it starts. However, there’s still a lot more to be done – staff training, crisis management – that will help keep our young people safe and prevent tragedies like what happened to Cindi Santana.”