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United Family Services
601 East Fifth Street, Suite 400
Charlotte NC 28202
Phone: 704.332.9034
Fax: 704.373.1604 info@ufsclt.org |
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| Domestic Violence Services | |
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Heart To Heart Teen Theatre
Every nine seconds a woman in the United States is battered by her partner. Statistics show that as many as one in four teenagers will be in an abusive relationship by the time they graduate from high school. Dating violence cuts across all boundaries of race, gender, age, religion and socio-economic class. We share these statistics with Charlotte-Mecklenburg ninth grade students in their classrooms. And we learn from them. They are the real people behind the statistics. Right here in Charlotte, NC, students are speaking up about their own relationships — ninth graders from every walk of life, some of whom have barely begun dating, are living with abuse. Many of their friends never knew, and if they knew, they didn't know what to do. Women who are survivors of abuse today assure us that had Heart To Heart existed when they were in high school, they might have understood the pattern of abuse, and would have known how to avoid abusive partners. These activities will provide one step toward that change.
Heart To Heart Teen Theatre was born in 1994 out of concern for the growing number of teenagers involved in violent relationships. A collaboration between In its early days Heart To Heart cast members created theater vignettes by weaving improvisational drama with factual information and true stories of abuse. The 1999-2000 season marked the implementation of follow-up classroom workshops to allow for further discussion of issues raised by the play. The 2000-01 season marked the premiere of an original play. Based loosely on one teenager's true story, and incorporating dance, movement and a style reminiscent of the Greek tragedies, "Twist and Shout" was conceived by United Family Services' Shelter for Battered Women and The Children's Theatre of Charlotte. The program uses theater as a way to reach teens and to educate, emphasize and brainstorm solutions to issues involving violence and abuse in dating relationships.
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Heart To Heart 2001 Troupe
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Program Explanation
The innovation of Heart To Heart is in utilizing two distinct opportunities for learning. Using local teen actors from a variety of high schools, the troupe acts out a professional production, complete with sound effects, lighting changes and a soundtrack in front of the school's ninth grade classes. The purpose of the production is to educate teens on the realities of dating violence and the foundations of healthy relationships in a creative and youth-oriented manner. Peer education allows for more believability and a greater connection between the audience and the actors — and the troupe director strives to have a diverse representation of the student body in the troupe each semester.
The innovation continues as within a few weeks of seeing the performance two educators, a male/female team trained by Theatre and Shelter staff, return to the school to lead a more informal discussion and role play with every ninth grade health class. During this follow-up workshop students have the opportunity to ask questions, participate in discussion on dating violence and talk about local resources that are available.
Contact Us
Heart To Heart is available for local (Charlotte, NC) community performances at a fee of $200. For more information on Heart To Heart, or to book the troupe for your group or organization, please contact Kathleen Griffith, 704.332.2513.
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;_1998.jpg "Heart To Heart actors rehearse")
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Heart To Heart actors rehearse
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Signs of Dating Violence
Your boyfriend/girlfriend?
is jealous and possessive.
is very bossy and tries to control you.
is scary. You worry about how s/he will react to things.
is violent and loses temper quickly.
pressures you for sex.
abuses drugs or alcohol.
blames you when s/he mistreats you.
has history of bad relationships.
believes men should be powerful and women should be submissive.
your family and friends worry for your safety.
Call us for help — 704.332.2513. Also, click here for a dating violence handout.
Visit our Links page to connect to other sites about teen dating violence.
Helping A Friend
Don't Gossip. Talk in private. Do not tell other people without your friend's permission.
Believe the Story. Listen and believe your friend. Acknowledge feelings and let your friend know s/he is not alone.
Tell them s/he did not deserve it. The violence perpetrated is not their fault. No one deserves to be abused.
Let your friend make her/his own decisions. Respect your friend's right to make a decision when s/he is ready. Each of us is an expert on our own life.
Make a safety plan. What has your friend tried in the past to be safe? Is it working? Does s/he have a safe place to escape if necessary?
Give help. Know that there are resources in your community. Is there a hotline? What legal, medical or counseling options are available?
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