Senate Bill S983

                                BILL NUMBER:S983

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the social services law, in relation to creating a domestic
abuse hotline for teens; and to amend the education law, in relation to
requiring a school assembly on domestic abuse

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To provide a domestic abuse toll-free
hotline for teens and require all New York State high schools to
hold an assembly addressing the dangers of domestic violence and
providing information for the toll-free hotline.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 459-h of the social services
law is renumbered section 459-1, and a new section, 459-h, is added
which would establish a toll-free domestic abuse hotline for teens.
The education law is amended by adding a new section 3235, which
would establish a mandatory domestic abuse assembly.

JUSTIFICATION:
Violence in adolescent relationships is a growing
problem in society, and may result in long term trauma for the victims.
The years during adolescence are the time when patterns of abuse
develop, violence in dating relationships may be a precursor for
              

abuse in adult relationships. Teens must be educated about the
dangers of domestic violence during these formative years.

A recent report on youth domestic violence indicated that one in five
or 30,000 teenage girls in New York City are victims of dating
violence.
Another study has shown that nearly 25% of female students have been
victims of forced sexual intercourse by grade 12. A large scale
survey of the college population has also shown that one in four
women have been victims of rape or attempted rape. In New York City
alone there has been a 70% increase in adolescent calls to the City's
Domestic Violence Hotline since 1998.

Abuse is not only a physical assault on the victim, many adolescents
are victims of verbal abuse by their partner as well. Studies show
that nearly half of all adolescent girls report verbal abuse in their
relationship. Proper education must be implemented to address the
many forms and dangers of domestic violence. Adolescents must also be
educated about the many avenues they may take for assistance in their
abusive relationship.

This legislation will provide adolescents with a toll-free hotline,
which would be available 24 hours a day to assist victims or
potential victims of teen domestic abuse. Additionally, an assembly
addressing the dangers of domestic violence would be required in each
high school across the state, The assembly would also supply the
students with the toll-free number of the domestic abuse hotline for
teens.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:


2004:      A.10029 - Referred to Children and Families
2005-06:   A.926 - Referred to Children and Families
2007-08:   A.3768 - Referred to Children and Families
2009-10:   A.7630-A - Held in Children and Families

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
Unknown.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately; provided,
however, that section two of this act shall apply to any school year
commencing at least thirty days after such effective date.