Community Organizations
Respect Works Teen Dating Violence Darien Domestic Abuse Council

Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month Proclaimed in Darien

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February, 2019 has been proclaimed “Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month” by Darien First Selectman Jayme J. Stevenson, who urged Darien residents to work together to eliminate dating violence from our community. — an announcement from Respect Works

“Teens especially high school age do not realize that most of the times they are in relationship problems [is] due to them being unaware what mental abuse can do to them,” said Emma Cavoli, co-president of Respect Works, a group of high school students trying to educate the public and their peers about violence in teen relationships. Respect Works will be at Darien Ice Rink Wednesday afternoon to bring awareness to Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month. Made up of both males and females, Respect Works meets monthly at the Depot Youth Center. The Darien Domestic Abuse Council mentors the group. Both groups believe the more people, including teenagers, that they can educate about domestic abuse, more will come forward.

Darien Depot

Darien Teens Tell Board of Selectmen About What They Get Out of the Depot Youth Center

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Learning the signs that someone might be suicidal, talking about problems (or anything) at Girls Night Out meetings, helping educate other teenagers about safety through the Students Against Destructive Decisions group, learning about mental illness, substance abuse, distracted driving, teen relationship violence. Those were the topics that nine Darien teenagers have been learning about at the Depot Youth Center, they told the Board of Selectmen at a recent meeting. 

During budget deliberations early this year, members of the Board of Selectmen said they thought it would be a good idea to hear more from the Depot and what services it provides to students. At the meeting on Monday, Nov. 26, Janice Marzano, the Depot’s executive director for programming, was present, but she let the girls speak for themselves. For some reason, every single one of the speakers were girls.