For many teens, the problem of teen dating violence leaves them feeling like they have no one to talk to. But there is a program that's part of Anchorage's schools where teens are trying to break the vicious cycle by getting their peer to have some real talk.

Meet the young adults at East High school's Change of Heart. Who take matters into their own hands in breaking a code of silence among their peers. "Nobody likes to tell their business to adults," said Ashleigh Owens, who is a Change of Heart leader. "Because we feel like we can't trust adults and when you have peers your age that you want to talk to people to feel more comfortable."

Thru the Change of Heart Program, there are no teachers teaching, no parents around, just students talking and working with each other to address the day-to-day issues that come with being a teen. "You open their eyes and you let them know we are hear, just because we are upper classmen, doesn't mean we don't want to talk to you," said Janai Lopez, who is a Change of Heart leader. "We want to show them respect as you are my friend, I am your friend, I'm going to tell you what my problems are," said Giselle Fernandez, who is a Change of Heart leader.

Here in Anchorage School District, close to 14 percent of students say they have been slapped or physically hurt by their boyfriend or girlfriend and 12 percent say they have been forced to have sex against their will. A very scary problem that kids in the Change of Heart program

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say they can fix. "The fact that there are people out there that force their girlfriends or boyfriends, if you love me than you are going to do this, if you don't we shouldn't even be together," said Fernandez. "Its hidden in the closet, like we can't talk about it, its a shame to talk about it," said Owens. "They say if you love me than you will do this, then again then if you love me than you wouldn't force me to do something I didn't want to do," said Keon McMillan, who is a Change of Heart leader.

With real talk, Change of Heart opens students up to freely discuss things like teen dating abuse. "I can see how it grows because guys want to feel oh I am the big bad person and I can control my girlfriend," said Fernandez. "Guys probably abuse their girlfriend, is because how they were raised or brought up," said Devin Brito, who is a Change of Heart leader. "If they were in an abusive household and they saw their dad always doing it to their mother because that just shows the guy, that you have to be the alpha male, you have to do what your dad did." "That's how it starts, he starts yelling at you, and that's when problems start, why are you yelling at me, I'm not yelling at you," said Fernandez. "I am letting you know, it's hard for a young teenage girl to go to her parents and be like my boyfriend hit me."

For these teens having someone to talk too is key in order to put a stop to negatives in their lives. "They vent to us, no one is going to get in trouble by venting to us, people save themselves from situations like that people will come up to us and talk about that," said Fernandez. "We can't guarantee that people will come out different, but we will guarantee that people will have a different outlook on things and they will make a better decision," said Owens.

The Change of Heart program is currently being held in East, Service, Dimond, and Eagle River High.

To contact the Newsroom, call 907-274-1111.