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Dawna Speers’ 19-year-old daughter Monica was murdered in 1991 by her former boyfriend. Since that tragedy, Dawna has shared Monica’s story with thousands of youth, educators and other youth advocates in schools and communities across Canada, identifying the warning signs of relationship abuse. Dawna collaborated with Documentary Productions and the National Film Board to produce the 1999 award-winning documentary A Love That Kills, which chronicles Monica’s story and identifies warning signs symptomatic of abusive relationships. The response has been overwhelmingly positive and the film has now become the NFB’s top-selling product. Dawna Speers, together with Nathan Neumer, director of the film A Love That Kills and Maggie Babcock, abuse prevention educator, established the Speers Society as a charitable organization (88107 4215 RR001) in February 2001. In response to educators throughout the country and with the assistance of youth and many expert youth advocates, the Speers Society has developed Choices for Positive Youth Relationships to prevent relationship abuse. Choices for Positive Youth Relationships combines the film A Love That Kills with a six-lesson, curriculum-based instructional guide for use in secondary school classrooms. Through a variety of discussions and activities, youth have the opportunity to identify warning signs symptomatic to abusive relationships, develop skills and strategies to sustain positive relationships, and connect to supportive community resources. Choices for Positive Youth Relationships was piloted in 14 secondary schools in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta and Nova Scotia. Evaluation data was collected from both youth and educators and analyzed by The Centre for Addictions and Mental Health in Toronto. Students reported that they learned how to be more positive in interpersonal relationships. The vast majority of students (89%) reported that the program helped them to recognize the warning signs of abuse. In addition, the majority of students felt that the program was effective in helping them choose safe behaviours and help a friend in an abusive relationship.
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