Season 2, Episode 7

Lessons for Every Age: A Unique Partnership with Parents, Schools and the Community to Prevent Child Abuse

Aug 7, 2025

What do grade, middle and high school aged youth need to know about healthy relationships and bodily autonomy? What does an age-appropriate conversation include? Our guest, Elizabeth Rizzitano, shares a new initiative aimed at helping young people form healthy and safe connections.

In this episode, we sit down with Elizabeth Rizzitano to explore how the Healthy Relationships Project, a recognized promising strategy, can reduce child sexual abuse among children from kindergarten to 12th grade. Elizabeth shares how schools across New Hampshire are working with parents, teachers, and students to foster awareness and build skills to form healthy, stable and respectful bonds with peers and adults. This universal approach teaches adults how to boost protective factors and reduce risks for all youth in the school community.

Explore the topics and themes from this episode:

Healthy Relationships Project: Check out the evidence-based curriculum offered throughout the state by crisis centers.

Thrive Survivor Support Center: Support for survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence and human trafficking through empowerment, safety, and support; and to promote prevention through education in Merrimack County, NH.

NH Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence: Find a crisis center in your area.

NH DHHS Data Portal: Explore your region’s YRBS data on the risks youth report experiencing.

Office of Student and Educator Wellness, NH Department of Education: Learn about mental health and wellness resources for schools.

Host & Guests

Featured Guest:

Elizabeth Rizzitano

Host: Christin D’Ovidio

Episode Transcript

Episode Transcript (PDF)

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Elizabeth is a dedicated advocate and community outreach professional who has been working with Thrive Survivor Support Center since 2022. As a resident of Merrimack County, Elizabeth brings a deeply personal and grounded perspective to their work, whether it’s through public education, grassroots advocacy efforts, or building lasting connections with local community partners. Their work focuses on empowering individuals with knowledge and resources and creating more inclusive and informed spaces for everyone. Passionate about equity, accessibility, and meaningful change, Elizabeth is excited to share insights and stories from the frontlines of community engagement.

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