Immediate Release Contact: Justin Meyers
November 1, 2006 (516) 869-7794
Let’s Talk!
North Hempstead Hosts Conference for Students about Relationship Violence
New Hyde Park, NY – Supervisor Jon Kaiman and Councilman Tom Dwyer have marked National Domestic Violence Awareness Month for yet another year, by sponsoring the North Hempstead Supervisor’s Committee Against Family Violence’s special program for high school peer leaders and their advisors. “Let’s Talk! A Conference for Peer Leaders about Relationship Violence” focused on violence-related issues that concern high school students. Over 90 students from 17 area high schools attended the conference.
“I’d like to thank the Supervisor’s Committee, which is co-chaired by Town Clerk Michelle Schimel and Deena Lesser of my Office. Without their tireless efforts this indispensable conference couldn’t have happened,” said Supervisor Kaiman. “This program is important not just for the students, but for the community. It is imperative every young adult understand the issues revolving relationship violence and the only way to do this is through education.”
Dr. Michael Kimmel was this year’s key note speaker, a sociologist and author who has received international recognition for his work on men and masculinity. Author of the critically acclaimed “Manhood in America,” the S.U.N.Y.-Stony Brook professor has lectured at more than 200 colleges and universities. His work includes a focus on raising boys to be mature, sensitive and non-violent men.
“As parents and adults, we have to address the issue of relationship violence with teenagers; most specifically we must lead by example,” said Kimmel. “If every little boy thinks that his father is a real man, and their fathers show non violent behaviors they will raise a new generation of sons.”
The Town joined forces with Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCCADV), and the Child Abuse Prevention Society (CAPS), to conduct breakout sessions during the seminar with experienced facilitators.
“This program is about prevention,” said Councilman Dwyer. “The breakout sessions provide young people with the knowledge and ability to stop domestic violence before it begins.”
“Let’s Talk!” featured four breakout sessions on subjects that included Relationship Violence, Date Rape, “Girl Talk” and Sexual Harassment. Students had the opportunity to attend two workshops each and NCCADV and CAPS provided the facilitators for the workshops. NCCADV is Nassau County’s only provider of comprehensive services to victims of domestic violence and rape/sexual assault and has been providing presentations about healthy relationships, dating violence and date rape to students at schools throughout Nassau County. CAPS is a Roslyn based organization dedicated to the prevention of child abuse and bully and peer harassment with extensive experience working in school settings.