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Violence is the second leading cause of death among American teenagers, but The Medical
College of Wisconsin plans to change that.
It is a major public health issue. It is a major health problem, a really huge societal
problem we are facing everyday. However, there is something you can do about it. Violence
is very preventable.
The Medical College’s Consortium on Public and Community Health is creating a Youth Violence
Prevention Initiative. This long-term project, based on a public health model, brings community
organizations, government, businesses, grass roots activists and health care providers
together to attack the root causes of youth violence.
We can see, hopefully, some changes in the bullying rate, we can see some changes in
the leadership of the youth which is addressing this issue. Hopefully, we can see some decrease
in peer pressure.
Fourteen year old Alicia Sherrod is living proof that good things can happen. Alicia
was injured in a school fight, went to the emergency room and was offered free counseling
by a non-profit organization. Most victims get angry and become victimizers, but Alicia
broke the cycle.
What’s the point of listening to other people? They just break you down because they feel
hurtful and feel put down so they’re going to put me down. Now, I’m teaching other
people my age, stay out of trouble, stay in school and get your education.
By identifying kids at risk, The Youth Violence Prevention Initiative hopes to stop violence
form happening in the first place, creating a safer world for our children.
www.mcw.edu/youthviolenceprevention Copyright 2010 Medical College of Wisconsin