Dating Violence Conference Information

The Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council Presents:

A Community Dialogue on Dating Violence: Building Relationships and Creating Safety

Intimate Partner Violence is something that affects all of us, whether directly or indirectly. Each year more than 40,000 people are victimized by their intimate partner. Dating Violence is a topic that requires communities to develop strategies to ensure that victims have the information they need in order to increase their safety. The Bureau of Justice Statistics indicates that young women ages 20-24 are at highest risk for dating violence. Approximately 80% of female victims experienced their first rape before the age of 25 and almost half experienced the first rape before age 18. A 2007 National Institute of Justice-supported study confirms other findings that one in five women experience sexual assault in the college years; and young women ages 18-24 are at highest risk of stalking. The effects of this trauma ripple out like a stone thrown into a pond throughout our community.

For years, women’s centers, social service agencies, law enforcement, government entities, medical providers and many other concerned citizens have sought to reduce Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in Harris County and lessen its impact. The Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council started with a voluntary group of leaders in the work who were seeking to make county wide change to reduce IPV in Harris County. It has grown to an agency that has two full-time employees working to coordinate services between agencies and systems within the county. The prospects for increased success and reducing IPV systemically in Harris County have never been better.

On February 28, 2013, The Council was pleased to present the first of what we hope will be an annual event for creating discussions within our community about Intimate Partner Violence. The first event titled, “A Community Dialogue on Dating Violence: Building Relationships and Creating Safety”; hosted by Houston Community College Southeast Campus in coordination with HCDVCC, was a great success. The event included a Case Presentation from Jennifer Varela, Director of Family Violence Services for the Harris County District Attorney's Office, a presenation on Ethics from Thecia Jenkins, Director of Non-Residential Services from The Bridge Over Troubled Waters, and the Keynote Address from Dr. Jeff Templeassistant professor and psychologist at the University of Texas Medical Branch, where he also serves as the Director of the Behavioral Health and Research Program.