A new bill that was just recently passed by the state House of Representatives will give teen victims of dating violence more protection. Right now the new bill is being considered by a state Senate committee. However, it’s only going to protect people that are dating others of the opposite sex.

Local gay rights advocates say teens in same sex relationships should receive the same protection from violence. Joyce Harrison, the founder of the Spartanburg chapter of Parents, Family and Friends for Lesbians and Gays, said that it’s very disappointing that people cannot see past such labels. All of these kids are our children, and they deserve our protection.

Reports from the 2009 South Carolina Youth Risk Behavior Survey show that more than one in six high school students reported being hit, slapped or hurt in some way by a boyfriend or girlfriend in the past year. In 1999, it was only one in eight high school students that reported the same kind of abuse. Thus, this is a problem that is growing among high school kids.

Tamera Tetter, South Carolina Pride Movement president, said that Domestic abuse occurs in lesbian and gay relationships at the same percentage as heterosexual relationships. Most South Carolina residents want everyone to be protected, and nobody should have to suffer dating or domestic violence.

This new bill will require schools to develop teen dating violence prevention policies that outline reporting procedures and guidelines for responding to school incidents of dating violence. At school means in the classrooms, on or immediately adjacent to school premises, on a school bus, at a bus stop, or at a school sponsored event. This includes whether or not the event took place on school grounds or not.