D.A. District Attorney Gerry Leone points to his White Ribbon in support of the Movement against Women's Violence while speaking to the Students of Somerville High School commencing a day of workshops against dating violence sponsored by his office. The Program is part of a pilot program D.A. Leone hopes to implement throughout Middlesex County. The Students of Somerville High listen to the Mayor speak of the importance of their programs. ~Photos by Andrew Firestone Andy Firestone Somerville officials teamed up with Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone last week to launch an awareness campaign on teen dating violence campaign at Somerville High School. Leone, who appeared with Mayor Joe Curtatone and Police Chief Anthony Holloway, called upon the people in attendance to engage in the 'ethical health' of their peers. "You are important because you're our future," Leone said. "[Teen dating violence] is a real problem, a huge problem, and people see it and don't do anything about it." The program, the brainchild of Leone, saw students go through a day of workshops and seminars designed to help students understand and identify dating abuse among their peers, and work towards stopping it. Somerville High was chosen as the first school to test this program by Leone, who was impressed with a video public service announcement created by a group of students last year.

Before the workshop, Leone spoke to the students about their own personal stake in the community and their power to change things for the better.
Speaking from his personal experience, Leone lamented violence in youth, and spoke passionately about stemming it.

"We can put 'em in jail, but it shouldn't take that, because it's wrong," he said. "It shouldn't take penalties and crimes to get someone to treat people the way they would wish to be treated."

Somerville police were on hand to help with instruction, and Chief Holloway reiterated his desire to see the community take the issue to heart.

"I don't want to arrest people," he said. "I want more prevention done."

The program was well received by the students, who agreed that dating violence needs to be addressed.

"I notice that a lot of people, even from my close friends, are in relationships that have abuse in them," junior Taylor Copelan said. "Not necessarily physical abuse, but verbal abuse definitely."

The student workshop included educational videos and role-playing scenarios staffed by social workers and police officers. The curriculum was designed to help identify key emotional factors in abusive relationships, and then find ways to confront people and help them.

"Some students are not educated about being in a healthy relationship should be so they don't really know what domestic violence is really about," junior Rylene Louis said. "I didn't realize how serious it was before the program, but now after it's much easier to approach people about it, and know more about it."

Leone is optimistic about the method of influencing students, and hopes to implement similar programs in other schools across his district. He said a PSA contest for another hot-button topic — drunk driving — will be announced soon.