WAYLAND, MASS. (WHDH) - A Wayland father whose daughter was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in 2011 is continuing his mission to raise awareness about dating violence years after his daughter’s death.
On Wednesday, he debuted a new video aimed at helping teens understand the signs of trouble and how to get help.
“Our culture needs to come to terms with where the violence comes from,” said Malcolm Astley.
Astley’s daughter, Lauren, was murdered weeks after she broke up with her then-boyfriend, who is now serving a life sentence in connection with Lauren’s death.
Since his daughter’s murder, Malcolm Astley, along with the Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Fund, has worked to educate students about unhealthy relationships, dating violence and opportunities to get help.
The new 20-minute video that debuted on Wednesday is geared toward children in eighth grade and older. It features interviews with more than a dozen experts giving insight into the causes of pain and violence in relationships.
The video, Astley said, aims to “help people think about the problem, its causes and, most importantly, its prevention.”
Along with helping adults and teens be able to recognize the signs of dating violence, Astley said the video also provides tools which he hopes will prevent other families from heartbreak.
“Particularly for a young person to face the grief of a breakup is to face incredible pain and confusion,” Astley said. “And it can lead to rage and it can lead to the kind of violence that led to my daughter’s death.”
Learn more about the Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Fund here.
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