Here is one featured Somerville Neighborhood News segment from the latest newscast:

Shocking findings from women’s commission

By Yuxiao Yuan

The Somerville Commission for Women released shocking findings about violence and on the status of the city’s women at its Women’s History reception on March 31.

“One in three seventh grade boys, and one in four seventh grade girls, are victims of physical abuse. One in four seventh grade boys, one in five seventh grade girls have abused their dating partner within this last year. One in three adolescent girls, ninth through twelfth grade, report physical or sexual violence by a dating partner,” Sonja Darai, the director of Somerville Office of Commissions, told the guests assembled at the Visiting Nurses Assisted Living and Senior home on Lowell Street.

Ironically, even though 75 percent of parents reported having talked about healthy relationships with their children, about the same percentage of children reported that they never had such conversations with their parents.

Another survey, on women’s needs, found that women in the city want safer pedestrian crossings, more public transportation, and more childcare and wellness education. In terms of specific programming, the girl respondents reported needs of more education on alcohol. Based on its findings, the Commission has decided to focus on teen girls’ wellness education in order to try to prevent the high-risk behaviors, commission members told the guests.

“They actually said it would be nice to have peer to peer education, like hearing from other young adults about their experiences with alcohol in the past,” Commissioner Jenn Fitzpatrick told the crowd

For the full Somerville Neighborhood News story, visit our website at www.somervilleneighborhoodnews.org or watch it Tuesdays at 7 p.m.