VOA慢速英語:What Parents Can Do to Help Prevent Dating Abuse

This is the VOA Special English Health Report.

這里是美國之音慢速英語健康報道。

Today we take another look at teaching young people how to build healthy relationships. Last week we told you about a new study in the United States. Fifteen percent of seventh graders in that study said they had experienced physical violence in a relationship with the opposite sex. Seventh graders are about twelve years old.

今天我們再來看一看教育青少年如何建立健康的戀愛關(guān)系。上周我們講述了美國最新的一項調(diào)查。15%被調(diào)查的七年級學(xué)生表示，他們曾經(jīng)在異性關(guān)系中經(jīng)歷過身體暴力。七年級學(xué)生約為12歲。

Concerns about dating abuse at such a young age are leading to new programs to teach eleven- to fourteen-year-olds about healthy relationships. The northwestern state of Idaho has had a program for the last few years called Start Strong Idaho. Director Kelly Miller says healthy relationships depend on open, honest communication -- and that starts with communication between children and parents.

對這個年紀(jì)戀愛暴力的擔(dān)憂產(chǎn)生了一個教育11歲到14歲青少年健康關(guān)系的新項目。位于美國西北部愛達荷州最近幾年有了一個名為Start Strong Idaho的項目。負責(zé)人凱利·米勒(Kelly Miller)表示，健康關(guān)系取決于公開坦誠的交流，而這一點從孩子與家長的溝通開始。

KELLY MILLER: "We need to connect with parents so parents understand that they are critical in terms of helping young people understand healthy relationships."

米勒：“我們需要與家長聯(lián)系讓他們明白，他們在幫助青少年理解健康關(guān)系方面非常關(guān)鍵。”

Ms. Miller advises parents to talk with their children anytime they can. Parent-child communication may not always prevent an abusive relationship between teenagers or preteens. But experts say it can reduce the risk. Seventy-five percent of students in the study said they talk to their parents about the issue of dating violence.

米勒女士建議家長隨時與孩子交談。親子溝通并不總能防止青少年之間的暴力關(guān)系，但專家稱這能降低風(fēng)險。75%被調(diào)查的學(xué)生表示，他們與父母談?wù)務(wù)摿藨賽郾┝栴}。

A good time to have a conversation about a difficult issue is during a family meal or after watching a movie or television show together. Kelly Miller says young people need rules and boundaries. They also need the skills to be able to resist pressure to be on the phone all the time or to text when they should be sleeping.

溝通棘手問題的好時機是家庭用餐或看電影電視節(jié)目時。米勒說，青少年需要規(guī)則和界限。他們還需要一種技巧，在自己應(yīng)該睡覺的時候，頂住一直打電話或發(fā)短信的壓力。

The Start Strong Idaho website offers some advice. For instance, watch out for these signs that a phone could be part of an abusive relationship: Feeling like you have to answer text messages or calls right away. Feeling like the texts you receive have gone from caring to controlling. Being pressured to constantly be on your phone, even when you are with friends. And being pressured to send sexual texts or pictures.

Start Strong Idaho網(wǎng)站提供了一些建議。例如，留神電話可能是暴力戀愛關(guān)系一部分的這些信號：感覺你必須馬上回短信或電話。感覺你收到的短信從關(guān)心轉(zhuǎn)到了控制。被迫要一直在電話上，即使你和朋友在一起的時候。以及被迫發(fā)送性方面的文本和圖片。

Kelly Miller also tells young people not to write anything on Facebook that they would not want their parents or other family members to see. And she reminds them that there is no need to accept friend requests from strangers -- or to give your phone number to someone you don't know.

米勒還告訴青少年，不要在Facebook上寫不希望父母或其他家人看到的東西。她還提醒青少年，沒有必要接受來自陌生人的好友請求，或?qū)㈦娫捀嬖V自己不認識的人。

Start Strong Idaho holds separate workshops for parents and teens and also brings the two groups together. Kelly Miller says, during these meetings, families often learn things they never knew about each other.

Start Strong Idaho項目擁有為家長和青少年服務(wù)的獨立研討會，還將這兩者并到一塊。米勒表示，在這些會上，家庭成員經(jīng)常了解到他們彼此之間從未互相了解的東西。

KELLY MILLER: "One mom came up and said 'I'm so thankful there was this workshop tonight because I found out my son not only was dating but currently has two girlfriends at the same time and didn't understand the problem with that."

米勒：“一位媽媽說，‘我非常感謝今晚這次研討會，因為我發(fā)現(xiàn)我兒子不僅有戀愛，目前還同時有兩個女朋友，并且不理解這有問題。'”