March 22, 2007 | Read Time: 1 minute
Break the Cycle, a nonprofit organization in Los Angeles, is trying to create a safe, welcoming place on the Internet where young people can find out about a difficult subject: date violence.
The new Web site, TheSafeSpace.org, discusses the signs of an abusive relationship and steps to take to safely leave an abuser, and it allows visitors to seek advice and referrals via e-mail.
The organization plans to add more interactive features in coming months — such as live Web chats led by trained counselors and opportunities for young people to speak out on the topic through art, poetry, or essays.
“We’re never going to be the cool issue, but we can be a place where teens know that they can come if they want information,” says Liza Lorenz, director of programs at Break the Cycle. “They can come if they want help, and they can come if they have something to say.”
Since 2001, teenagers and adults concerned about a young person’s safety have been able to contact Break the Cycle’s helpline both by telephone and via e-mail. The proportion of e-mail requests has been growing in recent years, says Ms. Lorenz.
In 2005, e-mail messages accounted for about 100 of the nearly 1,200 requests that came in to the helpline. Last year, the number jumped to more than 300 e-mail messages, out of 1,600 total requests for assistance.
Ms. Lorenz believes e-mail and the Internet make it easier for young people to ask for help.
“They feel safer through e-mail,” she says. “There is a feeling of safety and security and less risk when they don’t have to say it out loud.”
To get there: Go to http://thesafespace.org.
