Alaska's Adolescent Health Program

Key Initiatives

Current Projects

Publications & Resources

Reduce Youth Violence and Bullying

Goal

Reduce the percentage of adolescents (high school students in grades 9-12) who were ever hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by their boyfriend or girlfriend during the past 12 months from 9.1% (2010) to 8% by 2020.
Source: Healthy Alaskans 2020, YRBS

Adolescence is an important time when young people learn how to form safe and healthy relationships with friends, parents, teachers, and romantic partners. Relationships contribute significantly to young people’s development. Peers play a big role in that development, but relationships with caring adults – including parents, aunties, teachers, mentors or coaches – are also important.

Often, the adult-adolescent relationship is one of the most important relationships that inform how a young person handles other relationships in his or her life. Unfortunately, adolescents sometimes develop unhealthy relationships and experience or exhibit bullying or dating violence.