For Immediate Release June 3, 2009                                                                                                                           
Contact: Corey Welford/Jessica Venezia 781-897-8325

Leone To Address 300 High School Students On Issue Of Teen Dating Violence Tomorrow In Malden
Students Will View and Vote On Six PSA Videos Created By Other High School Students As Part Of Project To Speak Out Against Teen Dating Violence

MALDEN - More than 300 Malden High School seniors will view and vote on six videos created by their peers in an effort to speak out against teen dating violence at an assembly held tomorrow at Malden High School. Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone will also address the students at the assembly.

The videos were created as part of a project initiated by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office in the aftermath of the recent incident in which pop star Chris Brown was charged with allegedly assaulting his girlfriend, Rihanna. It asked high school students from throughout Middlesex County to create and produce their own PSAs in an effort to spark a positive dialogue and encourage teens to speak out against teen dating violence.

A total of 35 entries were submitted by more than 200 students from throughout the county. The six PSA finalists were then selected from those entries by a panel of school personnel, domestic violence experts, and members of the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office. The six videos can be viewed by visiting the Middlesex District Attorney’s website at www.middlesexda.com.

The winning PSA will now be selected by a vote of more than 800 high school students, including those at Malden High School tomorrow, who will view the videos in health and physical education classes throughout Middlesex County.

The winning PSA will be professionally edited by Conover Tuttle Pace (ctpboston.com), a Boston Advertising and Public Relations Firm, and then be submitted to Boston television stations for possible airing on their stations.

Among the statistics that demonstrate the challenges we face regarding the issue of teen dating violence:

 · 1 in 3 teenagers report knowing a friend or peer who has been hit, punched, kicked, slapped, choked or physically hurt by their partner

 · Youth, specifically between the ages of 16 to 24, experience the highest per capita rate of intimate partner violence in the nation

 · Following news reports on the alleged incident between Chris Brown and Rihanna, a survey of Boston teens revealed that 46% of respondents believed that Rihanna was in some way responsible. In addition, 44% said that fighting was a normal part of a relationship

WHAT:  Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone to address assembly of more than 300 Malden High School seniors who will be viewing and voting on PSA videos created by other teens on the issue of teen dating violence.

WHEN:  Tomorrow, Thursday, June 4, at 1 p.m.

WHERE: Malden High School, 77 Salem Street, Malden

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