Peabody students to learn how to prevent violence in dating

PEABODY – Peabody Schools has teamed up with Help For Abused Women and Children (HAWC) to teach students how to prevent violence in their dating relationships.For the rest of this week and next week, HAWC Youth Outreach Educator Mariah Williams will meet with students during their health classes to introduce them to the topic through the organization’s three-part curriculum.”I think that for a lot of them it’s a topic they don’t all know about,” said Williams. “It’s important for them to know that it’s not something that happens to just married couples.”Through lectures, classroom discussions and group projects, Williams hopes to educate students about the six types of violence -physical, mental, emotional, verbal, sexual, and financial – and warning signs to look out for.Williams said students don’t always see that someone pushing them, as opposed to hitting them, is still a form of abuse.”You have to decide if that’s something a friend would do, or something that someone loves you would do,” she said.Other topics include how to support someone who is being abused.”Speak up, call the police,” said Williams. “Talk to your friend and get them the help they need.”Athletics and Health Director Phil Sheridan said, “The whole program is based on respect in relationships, that both people are equal partners.””When we were rewriting our health curriculum, one of the things we wanted to upgrade was the domestic violence and teenage violence program,” said Sheridan, who thinks that the HAWC program is a valuable addition to better the lives of Peabody students. “Anything we can do to keep kids safe here at Peabody High School is something we’re going to do.”Williams believes the program serves as a forum for some students to ask questions about dating violence who otherwise wouldn’t feel comfortable doing so.She said that in some cases, students have come up to her once the presentation is over and asked questions that typically concern one of their friends.Sheridan has seen similar results in the program.”It’s interesting to see the conversations that come of it,” he said.According to Williams, violence in relationships is something not uncommon to North Shore residents of all ages. She hopes that by continuing her youth outreach programs in Peabody and other area schools, students will be able to recognize the dangers and prevent it from happening to themselves.”They need to be the ones to address that this is going on,” said Williams. “And know how to deal with it when they see it happening.”