escalating premarital violence

CBS news had a special this evening discussing a growth in a disturbing trend.  This trend is teen dating violence.  Last year 30% of teens reported they were in relationships of physical and/or sexual abuse and 25% of tweens have been exposed to abusive relationships. This has created such a problem in the past few years, that state governments and local governments have been stepping up educational programs to educate teens on what constitutes abuse as well as passing legislature.  I find it particularly interesting that in today’s day and age we need to be educated on if we are a victim of a violent relationship or what constitutes an abusive relationship.  So I ask myself why? 

 The numbers paint a picture and the teens surveyed clearly spell out the sources that are contributing to the growth of this horrific behavior.  Figures from national reporting agencies show that abuse went up 600% from march of last year to march of this year!  According to the teens in these studies, a majority indicate that violence being more prevalent in pop-culture and that an increase in technology makes them more likely to be abused (i.e. use of social networking websites, cell phones, picture and video messaging, etc). 

In my perspective it is quite clear that the reason for the exponential growth of this behavior is similar to many other horrific trends that have escalated in our society over the past 40 years.  I see the major contributions being : 

1. Globalisation and poor media priorities.  Ever year we are exposed to more and more violence on the television and through various avenues on the internet.  The more you see something, the easier it becomes to accept as a societal norm.  The more that this act, that was previously seen as unspeakable, is viewed by the youth, the easier it becomes for them to emulate the behaviors.  Look at who the role models are of the youth nowadays,  they may have attained high places in life, but commonly are poor in their values.

2. “The modern age moral decline”  Less and less people are sticking to strong moral and ethical values every decade.  In this modern secular society, individuals typically have viewed religious values as particularly “conservative” or antiquated.   This is evidenced by the fact that religious values are consistently being compromised on a generational basis and evolve to reflect issues of the times.  I was watching the Jimmy Fallon show a few months ago and he had that guy Spencer and his girlfriend/wife Heidi on the show.  She was talking about how they were on a reality tv show, “Im a celebrity get me out of here” when they had a spiritual awakening and found spirituality.  The next topic of discussion was how Heidi was going to model for playboy, also, while wearing a cross around her neck.  Jimmy Fallon asked her, ” What do you think Jesus would say about that?”  She said she thinks he would be proud of her and want her to do what is best for her.  Obviously this is not in accordance with Christian values, but this mentality and the broadcast of it poses a threat to the stability of moral and ethical values in our modern society for all groups of faith.(Disclaimer: these examples occur in EVERY religion and eat at the moral fabric of these traditions)  I think it is time for people of all faiths to stick strong to their religious values and fight the increase in both immorality and atheism/religiouslessness.  Irrespective of our different religious views, people of morality and spirituality must stick together and publicly speak out against moral transgressions in addition to putting their best efforts forward to changing the direction which our society is heading.

God Almighty says in the Qur’an – Suratal Asr:

 Wal Asr, Innal insana lafi khusr.  Illaladhina amanu wa amilus salihaati wa tawaasaw bil haqqi wa tawaasaw bis-sabr

By the decline of  Time. Indeed, man is in a condition of utter loss–Except for those who believe and do good deeds and exhort one another to uphold the truth and exhort one another to persevere in faith with patience.

Let us all reflect on this revelation, and not permit the future generations to believe that these actions, nor, that  a declining moral society are acceptable.  People of faith must look past religious differences and fight against a problem that is bigger than any of our theological problems at this moment in time. 

ibn yahya