Dear Chairperson Grosso and Members of the Committee on Education,

We are writing to express our strong support for the Student Safety and Consent Education Act of 2018, as we believe this act provides schools with guidance and resources to proactively address the significant problems of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and dating violence impacting our young people.

One in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds rates of other types of youth violence. Here in the District in 2017, 24% of middle and high school students reported experiencing physical violence by someone they were dating or going out with in the past year. Additionally, lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth in DC were two times more likely to report experiencing physical violence by someone they were dating or going out with in the past year.

Young people spend a significant portion of their lives in school, and schools are uniquely positioned to respond to the significant problem of youth dating and sexual violence. The implementation of dating and sexual violence prevention in DC schools is long past due. Especially in light of national headlines and movements, taking proactive steps to address #MeToo in local schools is now more important than ever.

We believe the Student Safety and Consent Education Act of 2018 is an important piece in ensuring the safety of young people in the District. Passing this act will put DC at the national forefront in responding to and preventing dating and sexual violence in schools, and will mark a critical step in ending youth dating and sexual violence.

Signed,