Articles

Choose Respect is an initiative to help adolescents form healthy relationships to prevent dating abuse before it starts. Healthy relationships are built on a foundation of respect. Respect is a choice, and when you give it, you'll get it in return. So treat others the way you want to be treated.

Unhealthy relationship behaviors can start early and last a lifetime. According to recent research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in 11 adolescents reports being a victim of physical dating violence. Even more startling, adolescents who report experiencing dating violence are also more likely to report binge drinking, suicide attempts, physical fighting and current sexual activity.

The Goal
Choose Respect is designed to encourage positive action on the part of adolescents to form healthy, respectful relationships. Research for the initiative shows most adolescents have positive, healthy attitudes about their relationships with others. Choose Respect seeks to reinforce and sustain these positive attitudes among adolescents as they get older and begin to enter dating relationships by:

Providing effective messages for adolescents, parents, caregivers and teachers that encourage them to choose to treat themselves and others with respect. Creating opportunities for adolescents and parents to learn about positive relationship behaviors. Increasing adolescents' ability to recognize and prevent unhealthy, violent relationships. Promoting ways for a variety of audiences to get information and other tools to prevent dating abuse.

The Audience
Choose Respect reaches out to adolescents, ages 11 to 14, because they're still forming attitudes and beliefs that will affect how they are treated and how they treat others. The initiative also connects with parents, teachers, youth leaders and other caregivers who influence the lives of young teens.

Materials
Choose Respect messages are supported by online games and interactive learning tools, television and radio spots, activity ideas, streaming video clips and clickable quizzes that inspire adolescents to think about choosing respect. This innovative mix of interactive learning tools also includes Causing Pain, a 30 minute video with compelling stories of real teens who have experienced dating abuse.

Community Involvement
Throughout the summer of 2006, CDC will work with community agencies in ten cities (Hartford, Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York City, Phoenix, San Antonio, Topeka and Washington D.C.) and with the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) to bring the message of respect to the nation's youth. Each Choose Respect community will create diverse educational opportunities to motivate adolescents and parents to choose respect.

Learn more about how to have healthy dating relationships and prevent dating abuse. http://www.chooserespect.org/scripts/about/aboutcr.asp