Public Service Initiative Aims to Increase Awareness, Prevention Among Teens and Healthcare Providers

SAN FRANCISCO, January 31, 2012 – A new public awareness campaign debuts today in the San Francisco Bay Area to raise awareness of abuse in teen relationships and encourage local youth to get help. Launched to coincide with Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month in February, the campaign is a partnership between INOBTR (“I Know Better”), a non-profit organization focused on educating kids through public awareness to keep them safe, and the California Adolescent Health Collaborative (CAHC), a public-private statewide coalition of individuals and organizations that works to increase understanding and support of adolescent health and well-being. The campaign is funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).

Teen dating violence is defined as a pattern of physically, sexually, verbally, or emotionally abusive actions committed by a partner to establish control over the other. The abusive behavior may occur in a dating or similarly defined relationship where one or both persons are a minor.  According to Liz Claiborne Inc. and Futures Without Violence (formerly Family Violence Prevention Fund), nearly one in three teens who have been in relationships have experienced dating violence or abuse, such as extreme jealousy or insecurity, threatening or humiliating emails or text messages, and isolation from family or friends.

“These numbers are sobering, and far too many teens suffer silently in abusive relationships,” said Melodee Hanes, Acting Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice. “Working together, we need to do what is right for America’s children.   We are pleased to partner in this effort to spread the word about teen dating violence and, most importantly, help teens know they can stop it.”

The campaign is comprised of educational public service ads that will run on San Francisco MUNI bus lines, BART trains and station platforms, AC Transit buses and at the Westfield San Francisco Center Mall during February.  In addition, grassroots materials such as posters and fact sheets will be distributed and are available to local healthcare providers to use as awareness tools.  All materials will be available online at www.projectyouthsafety.org.

“INOBTR is proud to lead this campaign highlighting an important issue that affects teenagers on a multitude of levels,” said INOBTR Communications Director Kelly McMahon. “What many people do not realize is that abuse goes beyond just physical violence and that it can be controlling behavior that inflicts emotional harm as well.  Our goal is to encourage healthy relationships amongst teens and to educate about signs of abuse within relationships.  We hope teens who are in abusive relationships will reach out to local resources and seek help immediately.”

Recognizing the important role healthcare providers play in teen dating violence prevention and intervention, the CAHC also worked with Elizabeth Miller, MD, PhD, and Futures Without Violence to develop the Healthcare Education, Assessment and Response Tool for Teen Relationships (HEART) Primer, an innovative resource designed to improve the recognition of teen dating violence and provide tools to healthcare providers to address this issue.
The Primer was implemented on a pilot basis at the New Generation Health Center and the Alameda High School-Based Health Center.  Of the youth who visited the two centers following the implementation of the Primer, almost 80 percent said that it is helpful for healthcare providers to talk about healthy and unhealthy relationships with them.  In addition, there was a reported decrease in technological abuse behavior and an increase in awareness of available community resources to help teens avoid or end relationship abuse.

“Teen dating violence is a serious issue, but many young people may be afraid to speak up,” said Sandi Goldstein, MPH, Director of the California Adolescent Health Collaborative. “As our work with the HEART Primer has shown, it is important for healthcare providers at clinics, schools and
community health centers to talk to young patients about healthy relationships so they can be more comfortable assessing unhealthy relationships. By targeting both teens and providers, we hope to promote healthy relationships among young people.”

Based on the initial success locally, the Primer will be used at additional school-based health centers. In addition, the Primer is being rolled out nationally and will be revised to be relevant to healthcare providers in all 50 states.

PROJECT PARTNERS

The San Francisco Bay Area campaign is one of six public awareness initiatives addressing child and youth safety issues and is a part of Project Youth Safety, a comprehensive multimedia, multicultural youth safety awareness effort.  Other Project Youth Safety campaigns have
focused on child abuse, domestic violence and cell phone safety. Additional information on this project is available at www.projectyouthsafety.org.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) provides national leadership, coordination, and resources to prevent and respond to juvenile delinquency and victimization. OJJDP supports states and communities in their efforts to develop and implement effective and coordinated prevention and intervention programs and to improve the juvenile justice system so that it protects public safety, holds offenders accountable, and provides treatment and rehabilitative services tailored to the needs of juveniles and their families.
Learn more about OJJDP’s programs and resources at www.ojjdp.gov.

The California Adolescent Health Collaborative, a project of the Public Health Institute, is a public-private statewide coalition of individuals and
organizations that works to increase understanding and support of adolescent health and well-being in California. For more information, visit www.californiateenhealth.org.

INOBTR (“I Know Better”) is a non-profit organization that educates broadly through public awareness in effort to keep kids safe. The organization has led numerous awareness efforts, most recently Project Youth Safety, a multimedia child safety initiative.  INOBTR can be found
online at www.INOBTR.org.

Is it 2012 yet??? If you’re like me you are all caught up in the holiday rush, shopping, baking, wrapping, and hoping it’s all done on time. So I put together 10 Steps that might help you have a Safer (Saner?) Holiday.

1. If you’re buying the “latest” technology for yourself or someone else, be sure you know what to do to make it secure (i.e. parental controls for youngsters, insurance for teens, and anti-virus for everyone). Taking the computer on the road this holiday?
2. Don’t feel intimidated by new technology – let someone show you. If it’s an employee – that’s what they get paid to do. If it’s your kids – they’ll think its fun to show mom and dad (or grandma) how to use something – plus those are good moments to talk about safe practices.
3. If you’re buying computer games, gaming systems, movies or software, be sure they are age-appropriate and think about agreements you might want to make about their use. (i.e. how long at one sitting, can you use the headset and “friend” strangers, and home rules apply no matter where you play or view).
4. Find time for yourself and your family to unwind and just be together.
5. Buy all gifts, but especially technology, from reputable sources. If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
6. Work with your family to update your privacy settings on social networking sites. Tips for Facebook.
7. Be sure if you use your credit card online that the site is encrypted and how their privacy policy applies to the storage and use of your personal information. More Hints on Online Shopping.
8. Don’t fall prey to unsolicited deals that magically pop up on your screen and seem to be “exactly what you’ve been looking for”!
9. Enjoy the season and your family and friends – they are the best gifts you’ll ever get.
10. And if you have a dollar or two left over, please donate to INOBTR because you want to
    help keep kids safe!

Have a Safe and Happy Holiday from all of us at
INOBTR

 This is a great article every facebook user should read & follow:

If you haven’t checked your Facebook privacy settings lately, it’s time to revisit them. I’m amazed at how many people think they’ve taken adequate precautions, yet I can waltz right onto their wall or view all their personal photos, even though I’m not a friend or even a friend of their friends.

Fortunately, Facebook now places privacy and location controls next to everything you share. You can choose who sees your status updates, photos and location before you even post them.

You’ll still want to check your default settings. You should also edit your profile to make sure you’re not sharing unwanted information. If you’re the parent of teenagers and you allow them on Facebook, it’s important that you help them lock down their settings, as well.

Let’s start with the profile. Click your name at the top of the screen. Then click the Edit Profile button in the upper right hand corner. Check out the whole article

As a constant facebook user, I was drawn to this article, so I wanted to share it with all of you. We’ve quoted Kim before and actually have a link to her tutorial on mistakes not to make when you set up your first social networking page. See it here on our site: http://www.inobtr.org/tutorials/10-myspace-page-profile-mistakes/ . Great teaching moments to take with your kids and work out your privacy settings together. We all need to pay attention to this! from INOBTR

The organizers are creating a virtual march in 2012 to encourage the United Nations to add Cyberbullying to the issues children should not be forced to endure. When you go to the site, you create an avatar and sign the petition. You can change your avatars look, there are games to play and lots of innocent fun. The Big March 2012 will be held on 31st January 2012, when the avatars will hold placards and march in a line across the sites who sponsor and support the event.

At the end of the march, the avatars will assemble in Big March Park on the Beatbullying Big March website, where the petition will be delivered to a virtual UN building.

Emma-Jane Cross, CEO of Beatbullying, said: “Violence amongst young people across the world is at epidemic levels.  We have a child protection crisis on our hands, and we have a duty as global citizens to unite and insist that world leaders, politicians, communities and families stand up and take action.

Check it out with your kids!

• Educate Yourself
• Take Advantage of Existing Tools
• Set & Enforce Limits
• Keep the Real & the Virtual World Separate

Click Here to read the whole article and learn about Scott Steinberg. Thanks to CNN for a great artcle.

LAUNCHED 10/5 DENVER

Community Outreach Program Offers Children and Families Resources to Get Help

DENVER – October 5,
2011 – A new public awareness campaign debuts today in the Denver area that educates
the community on child sexual abuse and its prevention. This campaign is a partnership between INOBTR (“I Know Better”) and Denver Children’s Advocacy Center (DCAC). This campaign has been funded through a cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). DCAC serves children who have been sexually abused, neglected, or traumatized by witnessing violence and is one of 14 child advocacy centers in Colorado providing family-supportive services for abused children.

This Child Sexual Abuse Prevention campaign has been directed by INOBTR (“I Know Better”), a
non-profit organization that educates about safety through public awareness in a proactive effort to keep kids safe.  INOBTR has worked closely with local Hispanic advertising agency, Hispanidad, on the creative development of this bilingual campaign. The public awareness campaign (PSA) officially launches today in Denver and will run through the end of the year.

“INOBTR is excited to launch this child sexual abuse campaign,” said INOBTR Communications
Director Kelly McMahon. “Our goal was to deliver a simple and impactful message that demonstrates how pervasive child sexual abuse is in the community, how to prevent its occurrence and where to report suspected abuse.  The Denver community is fortunate to have the Denver Children’s Advocacy Center for families and children to turn to as a resource.  With this campaign, the message is clear that each of us is responsible for the safety of children in our homes, schools and community.”

This multilingual campaign is featured in English and Spanish. Out-of-home and broadcast media
play an integral role in raising awareness amongst families in general, but specifically among those who may be facing trouble. Key PSA/ad elements include:

• Billboards
• Movie theater advertising
• Radio spots
• Community materials and resources (flyers,
  posters, etc.)

“The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is pleased to support such an
important initiative that illustrates the impact of child sexual abuse on children and their families,” said Jeff Slowikowski, Acting Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice. “Our office strives every day to protect children and families through our programming and resources.  This campaign is a great example of coordinated prevention and intervention services for children and their families.”

Child Advocacy Centers

A children’s advocacy center (CAC) is a child-focused, facility-based program in which representatives from many disciplines, including law enforcement, child protection, prosecution, mental health, medical and victim advocacy, child advocacy, work together to conduct
interviews and make team decisions about investigation, treatment, management and prosecution of child abuse cases. Currently there are more than 700 child advocacy centers in the United States.  For more information about CACs, please go to the National Children’s Alliance website at www.nationalchildrensalliance.org.

Campaign

The Denver campaign is one of six public awareness initiatives addressing child and youth safety
issues.  This project is a part of the Project Youth Safety initiative — a comprehensive multimedia, multicultural overarching youth safety awareness initiative.  INOBTR is currently working on upcoming Project Youth Safety campaigns to create issue awareness with today’s children and youth including topics such as child abuse, domestic violence, cell phone safety as well as teen dating violence.  The child sexual abuse campaign is the third to launch of the six campaigns.  Additional information on this project is available at www.projectyouthsafety.org.

Project Partners

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) provides national
leadership, coordination, and resources to prevent and respond to juvenile delinquency and victimization. OJJDP supports states and communities in their efforts to develop and implement effective and coordinated prevention and intervention programs and to improve the juvenile justice system so that it protects public safety, holds offenders accountable, and provides treatment and rehabilitative services tailored to the needs of juveniles and their families.
Learn more about OJJDP’s programs and resources at www.ojjdp.gov.

Denver Children’s Advocacy Center provides a continuum of care for traumatized children and their families.  DCAC serves children ages 1-17 who have been sexually abused, neglected, or traumatized by witnessing violence.  DCAC has built a reputation for working successfully with at-risk families and treating complex cases of child trauma.  The children referred to DCAC have typically endured terrible abuse and the Center’s mission is to “restore childhood” for these young victims through careful assessment, in-depth treatment and intensive family support. Additional information on DCAC’s services and programs can be found at http://www.denvercac.org/.

INOBTR (‘”I Know Better”) is a non-profit organization that educates broadly through public
awareness in an effort to keep kids safe. The organization is best known for its training and community outreach programs on Internet Safety outreach. INOBTR is uniquely skilled in marketing, special events and communications. The organization’s most recent campaign, entitled ”Decisions,” targeted potential online child predators and was part of the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s Project Safe Childhood national
campaign in 2008.  INOBTR can be found online at www.INOBTR.org.

For more information on Project Youth Safety and the Denver Child Sexual Abuse campaign, please contact Kelly McMahon at 314.721.9004 ext 335 or via email at kelly@INOBTR.org.

IS FOCUS OF NEW PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

Community Outreach Program Offers Children & Families Resources to Get Help

 LOS ANGELES – September 27, 2011 – A new public awareness campaign debuts today in the Los Angeles area that targets children and families affected by Domestic Violence.  This campaign is a partnership between INOBTR and Children’s Institute, Inc. (CII), which supports CII’s Project ERIN (Emergency Response Intervention Network) program.  This campaign and program have both been funded through a cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).  Project ERIN is a free service for domestic violence survivors and their children – this program covers the Wilshire, Rampart, Hollywood, and Olympic divisions of the Los Angeles Police Department.

This Domestic Violence campaign has been directed by INOBTR (“I Know Better”), a non-profit organization that educates about safety through public awareness in a proactive effort to keep kids safe.  INOBTR has worked closely with The Axis Agency/WeberShandwick in LA on the creative development of this campaign.  The public awareness campaign (PSA) officially launches today in Los Angeles and will run through October, which is also Domestic Violence Awareness month. 

“INOBTR is thrilled to lead this Domestic Violence campaign,” said INOBTR Founder Steve Schankman. “Our goal was to deliver a simple and impactful campaign that demonstrated how Domestic Violence impacts children and youth.  I believe we have achieved that goal.  With this campaign, the message is clear that children and youth who witness domestic violence can be impacted for life unless the cycle of violence is broken.”

This multilingual campaign is featured in English and Spanish. Mass transportation and broadcast media play an integral campaign role  to raise awareness amongst families in general, but specifically those who may be facing trouble.  Key PSA/ad elements include:

• Bus shelters
• Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) bus queens
• Radio spots
• Community materials and resources (handout , posters, etc)

“The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is pleased to support such an important initiative that illustrates the impact of Domestic Violence on Los Angeles’ children and youth,” said Jeff Slowikowski, Acting Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice. “Our office strives every day to protect children and families through our programming and resources.  The Project ERIN program and Domestic Violence campaign are great examples of coordinated prevention and intervention services for children and their families.”

Children’s Institute, Inc. is a private, nonprofit organization that has served the Los Angeles community for more than 105 years.  CII has created one of the nation’s strongest models for working with children affected by violence—including child abuse and neglect, sexual abuse, domestic violence, and violence in their neighborhoods and schools. A key CII initiative, Project ERIN is a community resource program that provides on-the-spot crisis intervention services for victims of domestic violence and also offers ongoing case management, where staff is available to help victims identify and access the services needed to break the cycle of violence. The program also offers free weekly domestic violence survivor support and treatment groups for adults and children.  These services may include the following:

• Finding a safe place for victims and their children
• Locating resources that provide food and, if needed, shelter
• Providing linkage to legal assistance services, such as helping victims obtain a restraining order, accompanying to court when needed, and helping understand the court system
• Connecting with special programs for victims of domestic violence.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), the Department received close to 50,000 domestic violence calls and reported over 21,000 domestic violence crimes committed in 2009.  This is an increase from 2008, which had 47,400 DV calls for service and 22,000 DV-related crimes city-wide.  Although domestic violence is a problem that affects the entire population, in 2009 Hispanics constituted the largest number of DV victims with 51.4% of the total, followed by African Americans at 27.7% and Caucasians at 15.5%.  Hispanics constituted the largest number of DV arrestees with 53.2% of the total, followed by African Americans at 26.8% and Caucasians at 14.6%.

“The prevalence of domestic violence is made clear by the statistics we share today—more than 500 calls for help each day in L.A. County,” said Mary M. Emmons, President and CEO of Children’s Institute, Inc.  “The impact of family violence on children is equally disturbing and poses a serious threat to their psychological, emotional and physical well-being.  Given CII’s long history to help traumatized children, we appreciate the Department of Justice’s support to raise awareness of this critical issue.”  

Project ERIN delivers immediate assistance to victims of Domestic Violence.  When the police respond to a domestic violence call, Project ERIN staff is alerted and provides on-the-spot crisis intervention services for victims.  Bilingual ERIN staff is well trained to work with a diverse range of cultures and understanding of immigration issues.  Domestic violence victims can also access immediate help by calling the 24-hour toll-free National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233) or by visiting thehotline.org.

Campaign

The Los Angeles campaign is one of six public awareness initiatives addressing child and youth safety issues.  This project  and is a part of the Project Youth Safety initiative – a comprehensive multimedia, multicultural overarching youth safety awareness initiative.  INOBTR is currently working on upcoming Project Youth Safety campaigns to create issue awareness with today’s children and youth including topics such as child abuse, domestic violence, cell phone safety as well as teen dating violence.  The Domestic Violence campaign is the second to launch of the six campaigns.  Additional information on this project is available at www.projectyouthsafety.org.

 To learn more about CII and Project ERIN, contact Adriana Molina at (213) 385-5100 Ext. 8209 or via email at amolina@childrensinstitute.org.   

PROJECT PARTNERS

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) provides national leadership, coordination, and resources to prevent and respond to juvenile delinquency and victimization. OJJDP supports states and communities in their efforts to develop and implement effective and coordinated prevention and intervention programs and to improve the juvenile justice system so that it protects public safety, holds offenders accountable, and provides treatment and rehabilitative services tailored to the needs of juveniles and their families. Learn more about OJJDP’s programs and resources at www.ojjdp.gov.

Children’s Institute, Inc. (CII), a private, nonprofit organization, has served the Los Angeles community for more than 105 years.  CII has created one of the nation’s strongest models for working with children affected by violence—including child abuse and neglect, sexual abuse, domestic violence, and violence in their neighborhoods and schools.  With 25 programs, more than 450 employees, and hundreds of volunteers, the agency serves more than 17,000 vulnerable children and families each year in some of Los Angeles’ most devastated communities.  To learn more about CII, please visit their website at www.childrensinstitute.org.
Children’s Institute, Inc. Locations:

• CII Headquarters: Otis Booth Campus – 2121 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, California 90026
• Mid-Wilshire Campus – 711 South New Hampshire Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90005
• Burton E. Green Campus – 21810 Normandie Avenue, Torrance, California 90502
• CII Long Beach Center – 4300 Long Beach Boulevard, Suite 700, Long Beach, CA 90807
• CII South Los Angeles Center – 10221 South Compton Avenue, Suites 104 and 203, Los Angeles, CA 90002

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