At Their Urging, Adams, Maloney & Bonamci Effort To Address Dating Violence Advanced By New Provision In House-Passed Education Bill

Washington, DC – U.S. Reps. Alma S. Adams (NC-12), Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12) and Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) today applauded a new provision of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which will help prevent dating and relationship violence. The provision, included in the bill at the urging of the members, is part of a grant program to promote safe and healthy students. The provision permits schools to use federal funds to teach relationship-building skills that can improve safety by preventing coercion, violence, or abuse, including teen and dating violence, stalking, domestic abuse, and sexual violence and harassment.

"I'm pleased one of our nation's most critical pieces of education legislation passed with provisions that will help teach students how damaging sexual abuse and dating violence is," said Congresswoman Adams, a member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee. "With the education they need and deserve, we can help our youth make more informed decisions that allows them to maintain healthier relationships, free from abuse and violence."

"Young women and men need to understand what relationship violence is, and where to turn when they have experienced abuse," said Congresswoman Maloney. "This grant program will allow teaching safe relationships to be a part of sexual education curricula. We need to teach students that help is available, and that violence in any form from the people you love is never acceptable."

"Creating safe environments for young people includes educating them about healthy relationships," said Congresswoman Bonamici, a member of the Conference Committee for ESSA. "It is critical that we teach students how best to recognize and prevent dating violence, stalking, and harassment. As a member of the committee that finalized the details of the bill to replace No Child Left Behind, I am glad that the new law includes provisions.to encourage school districts to teach their students safe relationship behavior."

In July, the Representatives introduced the Teach Safe Relationships Act of 2015 (H.R. 3141). The bill would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to require "safe relationship behavior" as part of sex education. It would also authorize grants to support new professional development opportunities for educators and the development of curricula that promotes safe relationship behavior. In February, Reps. Maloney and Adams introduced an amendment to the House K-12 education bill, the Student Success Act (H.R. 5), to add this provision, but the measure did not receive a vote.

The Senate version of the legislation was introduced by Senators Tim Kaine and Claire McCaskill in February.

In October, Reps. Adams, Maloney and Bonamici sent a letter to the Education and the Workforce Committee leaders urging them to include provisions from the Teach Safe Relationships Act in the final ESEA bill.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, more than 290,000 Americans are victims of rape and sexual assault each year, and young women between the ages of 16 and 24 consistently experience the highest rate of intimate partner violence.

Full text of the letter to the Education and the Workforce Conference Committee is attached.