Reducing the Impact of Violence by Empowering Teens

To reduce the impact of violence on the lives of teens and the community they live in through empowerment and awareness.

Crime V ictim Center of Erie County 125 West 18th Street Erie, Pa (814) Dedicated to reducing the impact of crime through counseling, education and advocacy.

Crime V ictim Center is a comprehensive victim assistance program serving victims of all types of crimes.

* 24 hour-hotline – Crisis Intervention * Individual Counseling * Support Groups * Accompaniment to Criminal Justice Proceedings * Information on Case Status * Information & Referral * Help with Crime Victim Compensation and Restitution * Community Education

Violence Revenge Hatred Depression Fear Crime Bitterness Pain Resentment Murder Hostility

 Teens ranging in age from 15-19, homicide is the leading cause of death.  Youth ranging in age from 10-14, homicide is the leading cause of death.  More youth die from gun violence in the U.S.A. than anywhere else in the world.  Youth exposed to gun violence are approximately twice as likely to commit violence themselves.  More than 1 in 5 have witnessed a shooting in their lifetime.  One in three teens fear being shot.  Information from the 2012 National Teen  Gun Survey by UCAN.

2012 National Teen Gun Survey  44% of youth can get a handgun if they want to  37% fear being shot someday  33% know someone who has been shot  24% know a teen who has threatened to kill someone  56% believe adults are not doing enough to prevent gun violence Erie County  14% of youth can get a handgun if they want to  53% fear being shot someday  26% know someone who has been shot  27% know a teen who has threatened to kill someone  39% believe adults are not doing enough to prevent gun violence 72% of youth agree that the American Culture glamorizes guns and violence!

Discuss  What are your triggers?  False anger assumptions.  Negative consequences of uncontrolled anger  Physical symptoms of anger.  Anger is a natural human emotion. It is how we learn to handle it that will affect how we react.  Define Respect!

 Understanding thoughts, feelings, and actions  Ways to deal with anger  How to control your own risk for violent behavior  Tools for making the right choices: increased sel- esteem and personal power

What We Live We Learn “What we live we learn and what we learn we practice, and what we practice, we become… And what we become has consequences… AND almost always… What we become has little to do with who We were meant to be.”