Break the Cycle
This report card ranks each state by how well it measures up in helping teens who face domestic and dating violence. The report analyzes the civic domestic violence protection order laws of every state, addressing the laws’ effectiveness in protecting youth from abusive relationships with family and partners. It also covers changes in laws in the past year and includes policy recommendations.
The report pays particular attention to states that give minors the right to petition for protection on their own behalf and assigns negative points to states with laws that use ambiguous language in regard to youth protection. The only states to receive A’s were California, Illinois, Minnesota, Oklahoma and New Hampshire. The 11 failing states were Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah and Virginia. Detailed analyses of each state are available in the full report.
Break the Cycle focuses on preventing domestic violence against youth. Free, 114 pages. (310) 286- 3383, www.breakthecycle.org/resources- state-law-report-cards-2009. html.
