Summit Helps Teens Handle Breakups In Healthier Way

BOSTON (CBS) – The Boston Public Health Commission wants to help you break up. Or at least guide kids on how to handle teen breakups in a healthier way.

The commission's Start Strong program held its 10th annual Breakup Summit this week at Simmons College. More than 200 Boston Public Schools students gathered to discuss sex, media and breakups. They broke into groups to take on each of those topics, guided by peer leaders who've been trained by Boston Public Health Commission officials.

And the need is urgent. Data from the Boston Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System show that in 2017, 15 percent of females and 10 percent of males in Boston Public Schools experienced physical or sexual dating violence within the past year.

Start Strong's program director, Jess Adler, and one of the peer leaders, Dailin, joined WBZ's Paula Ebben and Liam Martin on Thursday to discuss the Breakup Summit. You can learn more here about Start Strong: BPHC.org/StartStrong.