The Domestic Violence Coordinating Council of Montgomery County has begun to seriously address the issue of violence within teenage relationships. Members of the council state that domestic violence is often overlooked within many teen relationship and parents are choosing to deny the problem. In order to combat this lack of awareness, Montgomery County is beginning to speak at public schools, specifically targeting grades 6th through 12th in order to educate students about domestic violence. The council also provides a conference every year for teens and their parents, holding a discussion about the problem and pushing for more parental involvement in their teen’s relationships.
The council stresses the importance of communication but recognizes the difficulty in starting it. The council acknowledges that most parents are unsure of how to have a dialogue with their teen and conversely, most teens go through drastic measures to keep the secret hidden from their parents. The council also states that most teens view the beginnings of violence as just protection or jealously and this is not viewed as harmful until physical violence follows suit. Montgomery County views this issue as something that should be addressed early on.
