New York State Senator Eric Adams And His 14-Year-Old Filmmaker Son Will Hold A Press Conference To Address Domestic Violence And Teen Dating Violence

NY State Senator Eric Adams and his son, filmmaker and Nickelodeon actor Jordan Coleman, will hold a press conference to introduce Senator Adams’ domestic violence legislation during auditions for Jordan’s upcoming movie Payin’ The Price, which deals with teen dating violence. 

Senator Adams states:     “I will introduce two bills in the NYS Senate.  The first will create a registry for New Yorkers convicted of domestic violence; the second will enable a victim of domestic violence to modify a deed covering a domicile owned jointly with the individual convicted of the domestic violence.

“My bills are S 7661-A (establishes the domestic violence registration act defining domestic violence offenses and offenders and requiring such offenders to register with the division of criminal justice services upon release from incarceration) and S 7639 (authorizes a victim of domestic violence to apply to the county clerk to remove the violent felony offender from deed of co-owned real property).

“The crime of domestic violence occurs among people of all economic and cultural backgrounds. Women are much more likely than men to be targeted, with almost one-third of American female murder victims each year killed by a current or former partner, usually a husband. Children are often involved, either directly (as victims of the battering) or indirectly (as witnesses to the violence). We cannot tolerate an atmosphere in which the sanctuary of the home is unsafe or insecure; a family thrives only when its most fundamental and essential haven, its home, is tranquil.  We must prioritize the eradication of domestic violence by establishing and maintaining prevention programs that include education, counseling, and legal services, by holding domestic abusers accountable to the full extent of the law, and by offering victims the support of government officials, community leaders, health care professionals, teachers, employers, friends, and neighbors.”

Jordan Coleman (NJ high school freshman, filmmaker and actor, son of Senator Adams) states:                        “My film, Payin’ The Price, is a cautionary tale about teen dating violence, a societal crisis in which one in three teens is victimized.  The plot line follows young people who find themselves entangled in teen dating violence.

“I plan to spend my summer vacation filming my movie.  The idea of dealing with teen dating violence was inspired by the Chris Brown – Rihanna domestic violence incident.  I realized it was a topic I wanted to address because teens across the country were discussing it.  My peers were divided, some blaming him and some blaming her. It’s a debate that continues whenever you mention either one of them.

“According to national statistics, 1 in 3 teens experiences some kind of dating violence. These numbers shocked me and caused my circle of young friends to deal with an issue before their time.  There are some parents who don’t believe teen dating violence is real, but it is.  And it’s happening more and more, and the violence is not just physical.  Now kids are using the internet and texting to bully and harass.”

“As the word spread that I’d tackle teen dating violence in my film, I learned that victims of teen dating violence often suffer in silence. In fact, a schoolmate recently shared her personal story of being beaten and bruised by her ex-boyfriend.  She told me she didn't call the police because she loved him.  Her story blew my mind because I never would have guessed that she had been a victim."

MOVIE STORYLINE:

Seventeen-year-old Jasper "Jazz" Johnson, the son of a high-powered New York City attorney and celebrity life coach spiritual advisor, has it all, but his privileged life is turned upside down when a beautiful young girl from the "wrong" side of the tracks accuses him of brutal assault.  Jazz’s trouble with the law further strains his parents’ marriage as their proverbial golden child becomes the poster boy for teen dating violence.

[Jordan Coleman, who was the voice of Tyrone the Moose on the Nickelodeon cartoon The Backyardigans and is the founder of Say It Loud Film, plans to continue to address real issues that face today’s teens.]

Date/Time:     Sunday, June 23, 2010 @ 11:30 AM

Location:        Ripley-Grier Studios – 16^th floor

520 Eighth Avenue (between West 36^th & West 37^th Streets)
New York, New York 10018

Presiding:      NYS Sen Eric Adams

                        Jordan Coleman (son), filmmaker and actor