According to the below national report, Virginia received a grade of F. To
view the executive summary and the full report, go to
http://www.breakthecycle.org/resources-state-law-report-cards.html
------------------------------------

Break the Cycle Issues Report Cards on Teen Dating Violence
February 4, 2008

Break the Cycle issued the first-ever state-by-state report cards evaluating
the level of legal protection each state offers young victims of domestic
and dating violence. The report was issued in conjunction with National Teen
Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week, February 4-8, 2008.

The report cards are designed to draw attention to the discrepancies between
the protections afforded to adult victims of violence as compared to teen
victims. States were graded on an A through F scale. Those states that do
not allow minors to obtain restraining orders were given an automatic
failure.

Fifteen states received an "F" while only three - California, New Hampshire
and Oklahoma - received "A's." Along with the grades, Break the Cycle
released recommendations for improvement of state domestic violence laws.

For more information, read the full report on the website.
http://www.breakthecycle.org/resources-state-law-report-cards.html



-----
Rebecca K. Odor, MSW
Director of Sexual & Domestic Violence Prevention
Division of Injury and Violence Prevention
Virginia Department of Health
109 Governor St. #815G
Richmond VA 23219
of: 804-864-7740
fax: 804-864-7748
email: Becky.Odor@...
web: www.vahealth.org/civp/sexualviolence