By Eric Crabtree-Nelson, LCSW, Response for Teens

Violence.  It’s everywhere these days.  In fact, I would go so far as to say that we have a real violence problem here in the Chicago area.  Whether it’s the rampant street violence we hear about or live with every day, or whether it’s bullying behavior towards others that persists despite all of the attention and educational programs that have been put in place, violence is an everyday fact of life in our worlds.

Why does this violence persist?  What allows it to continue and continue, spinning off new conflicts, and more individuals damaged, grieving, alone, and angry?  Well, let’s look at media representations of violence.  We see war and conflict every day on our news sources.  We also see multiple personal conflicts that spill over into our worlds.  Jay-Z gets slapped by his sister-in-law, Ray Rice assaults his fiancée and we see what the results of this violence look like.

"But also, what about the NFL supporting Domestic Violence Awareness Month, or how about a series of public service announcements by key NFL players reminding fans to keep their cool, and seek professional help if they believe they are part of a domestically violent relationship."  

Read the full article at Response: Empowering Teens to Make Healthy Choices