Just a few weeks ago I was writing about the Steubenville, Ohio rape
case. As I spoke about the volatile mix of underage drinking, cyber-bullying
and sexual assault, I noted this could happen anywhere…it could happen here.
Today’s news echoes a similar incident in Saratoga… not Saratoga County, NY but
Saratoga, California. Tragically, in this case the 15 year old girl committed
suicide after the alleged assault.
This case is still being investigated, but how many such tragedies will
happen before we take a firm stand on underage drinking?
Adolescent drinking is not a rite of passage. Many teens think social drinking
and even bingeing are normal when getting together with friends. Teenagers
bodies and brains are still developing. Parents, this is important. Any alcohol
use jeopardizes your son’s or daughter’s well-being. Adolescent brains function
differently. When in emotionally charged situations adolescents do not make decisions
using the same rational processes as adults. So although your teen is generally
responsible, he/she may behave very differently under peer pressure and fueled by alcohol.
There are far too many of these stories of teen lives destroyed when a ‘party’
gets out of control. Your values shape your child’s decisions more than you
think. Letting your kids know you do not approve of underage drinking (even if
other adults have different views on this) does influence their decisions. Talk
to your kids about this and don’t provide alcohol to minors.
Tomorrow: Alcohol is just
one contributing factor in sexual assault like those in Steubenville. Social
norms about respecting women and obtaining consent are key factors.
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