While any initiative in healthy relationships and violence prevention tends to be better than none, a sound program will be built over years and developmentally focused on healthy and meaningful relationships beginning with education of pre-schoolers and young parents around appropriate topics. It will involve regular yearly consideration of the relevant concepts and behaviors, building on each other over the years. Some tools we offer for the process:
- Understanding and Preventing Relationship Violence
- A new engaging nine minute video, Escaping Breakup and Relationship Violence, was recently created that features Lauren’s friends, family and also specialists, discussing the meaning of Lauren’s murder in our culture, its relation to patterns of gender abuse, warning signs and the related steps for prevention.https://youtu.be/tNGIvHaVGLUShort, powerful video clips and visuals are being disseminated through our new social media initiative to tease interest, increase awareness, and build linkage to our various initiatives, website, tools and resources. The video can serve as an introduction for various audiences to the topic of boys’ and men’s violence against girls and women, other genders, and each other, and how to bring about understanding and prevention. Find the video online here https://youtu.be/tNGIvHaVGLU
- Escalation Workshop was produced by the One Love Foundation, and we promote it in collaboration with them nationally. Aimed at high school seniors, mature juniors and college students, it involves a 40-minute video and 45-minute discussion focused on a fictional but realistically portrayed college relationship that ends in tragedy. As of May 2018 it had been seen and received enthusiastically by over 130,000 students and at over 400 colleges and 150 high schools. Peer leaders are often involved in being trained to help lead the discussions. A YouTube trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmV_aZ0LzhQ&t=2sFor more information: LaurenDunneAstleyMemorialFund.org or JoinOneLove.org
- Loved to Death was produced through collaboration of CBS’s 48 Hours with the LaurenDunneAstleyMemorialFund.org Aimed at upper middle and all high school grades, the video portrays Lauren’s tragic story and focuses on break up violence. The video is about 40 minutes long and has been used by many teachers for discussion about relationships and violence prevention. The video, available on YouTube and on the foundation website, was reported as of June, 2018 to have had over 1,200,000 views worldwide. A teacher’s guide is expected to be released this fall, 2018.
- Neela and Chris is in classic comic format and tells the story of an abusive high school relationship which the potential victim female partner manages to end safely. A discussion guide is available and will be sent with ordered comics. Cost for printed comic copies is planned at $5 per copy which includes only funds to sustain printing for future orders. To order or use free on line: https://teenhealthcomics.org
- Warning Indicators of Potential Violence and Harm: Relationships at Risk, Potential Abusers, Potential Victims, and At Risk Break-ups is compiled from a number of sources, beginning with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The list is not exhaustive but can serve as a useful starting point for discussion of signs suggesting individuals may be at risk and consultation with specialists and safe intervention may be necessary. Copies can be requested through the Contact Us link on our website.
- Posters for visual campaigns in healthy relationships and violence prevention are available through our website for viewing and for the cost of shipping.
- Lauren’s parents, Mary Dunne and Malcolm Astley, have been involved in talks and panels across the country, including the Katie Couric Show. They also can consider roles in brainstorming and planning for schools, colleges and other organizations. They may be reached through the Contact Us link on the website for LaurenDunneAstleyMemorialFund.org
