Dating Violence Bill: Will you take action?

I got this e-mail from the Love is Not Abuse campaign, which works to prevent dating violence in teens. This is an important cause and one that hits close to home. As an intern at the MA Second Step, an organization which helps survivors of domestic abuse, I recognize the prevalence of dating violence, especially on college campuses. I think that this initiative is a great place to start in the fight against domestic violence. Read below and see what you think.

Below is a message from Bill & Michele Mitchell, our dedicated State Action Leaders for Maryland. They are parents to Kristin Mitchell, who graduated from Saint Joseph’s University and 3 weeks later lost her life to dating violence on June 3, 2005. The Mitchells have since worked tirelessly with Delegate Jill Carter, a National Foundation of Women Legislators (NFWL) representative, to pass a 2009 bill encouraging that lessons on teen dating abuse be implemented in schools. Currently, they are working to pass a stronger, more comprehensive law in the state of Maryland and they need your help with House Bill 386 – the Kristin Marie Mitchell Law!

What we’re asking will take a few minutes, but it could also save the life of someone you know. We need your support to help pass a Maryland law that would do a better job of putting teen dating violence education into classrooms.

This law would:
1. Adopt a program in the public schools to educate students about dating violence
2. Include education on services provided to victims of dating violence
3. Name this law “The Kristin Marie Mitchell Law”
4. Declare the first week of February as Tween / Teen Dating Violence Education and Awareness Week in Maryland

We need you to
1. WRITE INDIVIDUAL EMAILS to a list of delegates (below). You would be sending a total of 23 emails
2. The point of your email is you are: “In support of HB386, the Tween and Teen Dating Violence Education Law”
3. This would require you to write to EACH INDIVIDUAL delegate…
Copy and paste email addresses into EACH email…
Start each with the appropriate delegates name (taken from their emails)

Sample:
Dear Delegate (add delegate’s NAME),

I am in support of HB386, the Tween and Teen Dating Violence Education Law. I would like for you to vote in favor of this Bill.

I want Maryland schools to have the best available teaching for our young women and young men. This law will enable better ways of getting this life-saving information to our tweens and teens so they are knowledgeable about dating abuse, dating violence, and the resources available for help.

I personally know the Mitchell family and am aware that their daughter, Kristin, was completely unprepared to recognize the warning signs that caused her to lose her life due to dating violence. Please help by voting in favor of HB386, the Tween and Teen Dating Violence Education Law.

Respectfully,

(YOUR NAME)

Here is the list of delegates…
sheila.hixson.annapolis@house.state.md.us
samuel.rosenberg@house.state.md.us
kathy.afzali@house.state.md.us
kumar.barve@house.state.md.us
joseph.boteler@house.state.md.us
talmadge.branch@house.state.md.us
jon.cardin@house.state.md.us
mark.fisher@house.state.md.us
bill.frick@house.state.md.us
ron.george@house.state.md.us
glen.glass@house.state.md.us
carolyn.howard@house.state.md.us
jolene.ivey@house.state.md.us
anne.kaiser@house.state.md.us
eric.luedtke@house.state.md.us
aruna.miller@house.state.md.us
leroy.myers@house.state.md.us
justin.ross@house.state.md.us
andrew.serafini@house.state.md.us
melvin.stukes@house.state.md.us
michael.summers@house.state.md.us
frank.turner@house.state.md.us
jay.walker@house.state.md.us

I know it asks a lot, but if you have a moment, make some e-mails, or pass it along to a friend?