Overview

Violence among young people is a serious problem.  In 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 5,764 young people around the nation between the ages of 10 – 24 were murdered, on average, at a rate of 16 each day. Homicide was the 2^nd leading cause of death for young people in this age group. Among young people between 10 – 24 year-olds, 86% (4,973) of the homicide victims were male and 14% (791) were female. Overall, among these homicide victims, 84% had been killed by a firearm.  Many young people find themselves in unhealthy relationships which include violent or abusive behavior.  Dating violence or relationship abuse among young people is a pattern of power and control. It includes threats, emotional/verbal abuse, or physical sexual violence. According to the Crisis Prevention Institute, Inc., about one out of four young people will be in an abusive relationship during their life time.