NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The Zonta Club of New Rochelle, in partnership with the New Rochelle Public Library, invites young adults and adults to join in a conversation about dating violence, following the viewing of two powerful programs from the Emmy-award winning PBS series, In the Mix, on Thursday, October 27, 2016, from 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm. The program will be repeated for parents from 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm. The free event will be held in the Ossie Davis Theater and Meeting Room, on a drop-in basis.
The first 30-minute program, Dating Violence: Twisted Love, reveals that 3 out of every 10 teens have experienced violence in their dating relationships. Dating violence profoundly affects their lives and their friends, yet they feel isolated and powerless, with nowhere to go for information and help. An unspoken problem and secret, dating violence is largely ignored, yet its significance reverberates far beyond the dating scene. In the Mix produced this special to heighten awareness and understanding of the problem, help young people recognize early signs of trouble and show them what they can do to get help.
Abusive Relationships: Get Help, Get Out, the second 30-minute program, demonstrates that “many teens think an abusive relationship is usually a guy hitting a girl and just beating her,” as one of the many perceptive teens in this powerful program observed about abuse in adolescent relationships. What this young woman already knows, and viewers will soon discover, is that abuse comes in many different forms, and it can be hard to recognize at first. In this program, teenagers of diverse backgrounds speak frankly about their experiences with dating violence, and viewers are made aware of the various resources that offer assistance.
The documentaries will be followed by a discussion over refreshments.