As we honor the special women in our lives this Mother’s Day it’s important that we highlight the impact their activism has on their families and their communities, and encourage them to continue to fight for what they believe is important. I want to call attention to a national coalition comprised of mothers from across the country who are doing truly incredible work, worthy of a celebration.
MADE: Moms and Dads for Education to Stop Teen Dating Abuse is a movement of concerned moms in every state who give back, not just to their own children, but to all the children in their communities. These moms are fighting for proper education in middle and high schools, focusing on healthy teen relationships, free from abuse and violence.
The National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL) and Liz Claiborne Inc. have joined forces to support this critical education effort nationwide. According to a recent survey spearheaded by Liz Claiborne Inc., nearly half of teen girls who have been in a relationship say they have been victims of verbal, physical, or sexual abuse by their boyfriends. Even more alarming is the fact that this abuse is starting in tweens (11–14 year olds).
Dating violence is at epidemic proportions, resulting in thousands of preventable deaths.
I hope this Mother’s Day you will join me and do your part by becoming a MADE member and help me protect our youth. Anyone can join the MADE coalition at www.loveisnotabuse.com/made.
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Representative Sharon Beasley-Teague represents the citizens of District 65, which includes portions of Fulton County. She was elected into the House of Representatives in 1992, and currently serves on the Games, Fish, & Parks, Legislative & Congressional Reapportionment, and Ways & Means committees.