The two recently attended a national conferences on the subject and have stepped up their efforts since returning home.
A recent survey commissioned by Liz Claiborne found that one in five teens ages 13 and 14 said their friends are victims of dating violence.
The "Tween and Teen Dating Violence and Abuse Study" also showed that approximately half of children ages 11 to 14 say they know someone in a relationship who has been verbally abused.
Baker, who spoke at the Nov. 20-24 National Foundation for Women Legislators' annual conference in Sarasota, Fla., said preventing teen dating violence boils down to one thing - saving lives.
"We must do everything in our power to stop the cycle," he said.
Stokes, who wrote major legislation to protect victims of domestic violence when she was in the Georgia Senate, says things won't happen overnight. She is raising awareness about date violence to jump start the process and spark discussions between parents and their children.
"Parents need to be more involved with talking to their kids about subjects like these," Stokes said last week. "Teen abuse stifles creativity and the ability for these children to learn."
Baker and Stokes are joining representatives from the Foundation for Women Legislators and the National Association of Attorney Generals in calling for the Georgia General Assembly to introduce a bill on teen-dating abuse.
Several states, such as Rhode Island, already have bills in place that require dating violence education for middle and high school students in all of the state's school districts.
Stokes says providing education on dating abuse is vital for teens in Georgia because it affects all sectors of every community.
"It is through education and conversations that we can help prevent this violence."
For more information on this initiative, visit www.loveisnotabuse.com.
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