March 19, 2009
University of Southern Maine (USM), Portland, ME

According to the National Center for Victims of Crime "1 in 5 female students reports being abused by a boyfriend and teens are particularly unlikely to report violence from people they are dating...less than five percent told a parent. Despite these alarming trends, the threat posed by dating violence has attracted surprisingly little national attention. Yet what is known about dating violence suggest that this problem requires a closer look."

Today, fewer adolescents understand what a healthy relationship looks like, and young girls often don't realize that they are involved in an unhealthy, abusive relationship.  Many girls mistake the controlling and possessive attention of boys as an expression of love, and some girls are flattered by their boyfriend's jealousy.  The signs of an abusive relationship are sometimes hard to identify.

The CDC's statistics show less than five percent of abused teens told their parents and only 22 percent told a peer.  Teens sometimes have strong feelings for their abusers and have mixed emotions about reporting the violence to a parent or school authority.  They may also fear that no one will believe them, or there may be fear of retaliation or estrangement from peer groups.  Adolescents, in particular, may feel isolated and powerless because they blame themselves for the violence taking place in the relationship.

A January 2009 New York Times article notes that many schools and states are passing laws and implementing programs to address abuse in adolescent relationships. Extensively researched programs have shown that teens, when armed with information and resources about unhealthy relationships, can change their attitudes and behavior.

Participants Will:

• learn the warning signs of dating violence
• examine the causes of adolescent male violence
• identify safety measures parents, teachers and other adults can use to protect adolescents

Our keynote speaker, Vicki Crompton Tetter will begin the training by taking the audience through the story of her daughter's dating relationship and subsequent death.  She will share her personal journey: how the death of her daughter was her first knowledge of Teen Dating Violence, the mistakes she made as a parent, the innocence and lack of information surrounding Jenny and her friends, the myths and stereotype of young victims; culminating in the process of research that led to the publication of her book.  Real stories are woven throughout the presentation to underscore the information she is sharing.

PPNNE trainers Catriona McHardy and Katherine McLaughlin will then delve deeper into the warning signs of unhealthy relationships and arm participants with tools and resources. Participants will learn activities that can be used with youth to explore healthy versus unhealthy relationships and sexual violence and consent.

This training is geared toward educators, counselors, school nurses, administrators, mentors, therapists, all youth-serving professionals and any other adult who works closely with teens and/or parents.

Our keynote speaker, Vicki Crompton Tetter, lost her daughter, Jenny Crompton, 15, to an abusive boyfriend in 1986.  Since Jenny's death Vicki has been active in educating teens, parents and counselors on the problem of Teen Dating Violence grief, victimization, and forgiveness.  She has given thousands of presentations to high schools, church groups, police departments, judiciary and mental health counselors. Ms. Crompton Tetter has appeared on national television: The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Today Show, 60 Minutes II, MSNBC, Montel Williams, Sally Jesse Raphael, Geraldo, MSNBC and Inside Edition.  Additionally, she has authored several magazine articles and has also written chapters in several published books on Teen Dating Violence.  In 2003, Vicki co-authored a book Saving Beauty from the Beast: How to Protect Your Daughter from Unhealthy Relationships, an award winning guide for parents and teens.  The book features Jenny's story and the stories and voices of many teenage girls and their parents.

Ms. Crompton Tetter has a BA in Business Administration from Augustana College and an MA in Counselor Education from the University of Iowa.  Her past employment includes serving as a Crisis Counselor to homeless teenagers in shelter.  Vicki has presented her much in-demand presentations and parent workshops across the country.

Catriona McHardy, is the Vice President of Education and Training for PPNNE and has worked in the field of sexuality for over 25 years.  She has worked extensively with young people and adults addressing many aspects of sexuality, including sexual development, gender equity, orientation, and sexual violence.  She leads an award-winning training department of well-known regional trainers and considers the ability to train both a well-developed skill and a gift.  She has trained professionals throughout the United States, Russia and Uganda.

Katherine McLaughlin has been a PPNNE Educator/Trainer in Keene, NH, and Brattleboro, VT, for 19 years.  She has worked with adolescents in various settings including schools, residential living situations, health center and other social service programs.  She has also trained many youth-serving professionals in workshops on birth control and sexually transmitted infections, social dynamics and teens and relationships.  These trainings have helped improve the skills of professionals when talking with adolescents about sexuality.  She is co-author of Sexual Violence in Teenage Lives: A Prevention Curriculum, which addresses sexual violence from the perspective of sexual health.

When: Thursday, March 19, 2009; 3:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Where: University of Southern Maine (USM), Portland, ME
Register by: Monday, March 16, 2009
Keynote Speaker: Vicki Crompton Tetter
Facilitator: Catriona McHardy
Fee: $ 40
This fee includes all workshop material and seminar instruction.

Give Yourself Some Credit!
3 CEUs will be provided for the following:

• Educational Recertification
• The National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC)
• American Nurses' Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation

Planned Parenthood of Northern New England is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Vermont State Nurses' Association, Inc., an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

We are happy to apply to other certification boards for continuing education contact hours.  If you require CEUs please contact PPNNE's Education and Training Department at (800) 488-9638.

Register online, e-mail the Education Department or call us at 1-800-488-9638.