National Youth Violence Awareness Targets Teen Dating

Right now there is one message that the Blount County Task Force Against Domestic Violence is trying to share with teens. This message is: when there is no respect, there is no love. This message is being shared with teens during the National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention week, which kicks off today, Monday, March 22^nd.

During this week, information packets are going to be given to all local high schools, as well as Alcoa Middle School. The package includes information that primarily focuses on teen dating violence, which is apparently starting to occur way too frequently. The overall goal of the information is to teach teens that love should be fun and exciting and not hurtful both emotionally and physically.

Some of the posters that will be hung in all participating schools give the message that dating and violence should never be a couple. It is not part of a healthy relationship, and it should never happen. More information on the matter is suppose to be available in guidance offices, clinics and front offices. However, some schools are going to make the information available privately in the restrooms so teens do not have to feel embarrassed about picking up some information.

Jennifer Shudan, who actually chairs the task force and is a domestic violence investigator with the Blount County Sheriff’s Office, said that often when a person of any age is asked about domestic or dating violence, their answer will always be “they never hit me.” However, what people do not see is that the violence can be more than just physical.

In fact, a lot of men experience dating violence and say nothing about it. They date controlling women who not only intentionally embarrass the men, but yell and scream for no reason at all except to keep the upper hand in the relationship.

Jennifer Aniston Scared of Losing Her Best Friend

Despite all her troubles in love, there is one guy in Jennifer Aniston‘s life who has never let her down: Norman, her 14-year old Corgi-Terrier. Photos of the two of them on her movie sets and taking long walks on the beach behind her Malibu home are a common sight in the pages of gossip mags. But according to recent reports, Norman is now suffering from digestive problems, and Jen is worried that he might not make it much longer.

This is Norman’s second health scare of the year. In January, he wandered out of Aniston’s house and was almost run over by a car. He was saved by a paparazzo who recognized Norman from photos. After that incident, Aniston spoke openly about her fear of losing a pet. “You have to say goodbye way too soon. It’s just so sad. It makes me so sad.”

But apparently Aniston isn’t ready to say goodbye just yet. This time last year, there were rumors that she was spending up to $250 per week on massage, reiki, and acupuncture treatments to relieve Norman’s aching joints. As Aniston said herself, “[A pet's] love is unconditional and I love that.”