Partnering organizations work to end domestic abuse
Several campus groups are promoting domestic violence awareness this month
Ashley Erb
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Domestic abuse traumatizes victims, endangers children and tears families apart every day throughout the United States.
"Every nine seconds a woman is beaten," said Crystal Rodgers, a representative of the Safe from Abuse and Battered Living Enforcement House (Sable House) in Dallas.
"It is not happening in a third world country," she said, "its happening right here in the United States."
In an effort to celebrate survivors, mourn the victims and to work to end such violence, October is home of National Domestic Violence Awareness month.
National Domestic Violence Awareness month is an expansion from the national "Day of Unity" which was founded in 1981.
The intent of the "Day of Unity" was to link those working to end violence against women and children, but over the years it has expanded and became a month-long occurrence.
In hopes of ending this increasing problem in our country, the Sable House, Abby's House and Student Advocates for Gender Equality (S.A.G.E.) have partnered together and planned various programs and activities for the students, staff and faculty of Western this month.
Last week a "Silent Witness Exhibit" was on display in the Werner Center. The "Silent Witness Exhibit" was a project aimed at honoring those who have lost their lives because of domestic violence. The project displayed life-sized, red silhouettes of women, children, pregnant women and even men. These silhouettes held place cards at their chest telling the story of the person they memorialized. In an effort to raise awareness, purple signs have also been littered along the sidewalks of campus bearing statistics of domestic violence.
Honoring the survivors of domestic violence will take part in the clothesline project on campus, which will be on display in the Oregon Room of the Werner Center next week. The Clothesline Project lets survivors of domestic violence tell his or her story by using words and/or artwork to decorate a t-shirt to hang on a clothesline.
Also available on campus are bookmarks with an attached purple ribbon. Students and staff wearing the purple ribbons around the university signify their belief that domestic and sexual violence is intolerable.
"We, as a community, must act to stop this violence," Rodgers said.
To find out more about the Clothesline Project visit www.clothesllineproject.com.
Bookmarks with ribbons can be picked up at the domestic violence information booth on Werner's main floor.
Today, the silhouettes of men, children and pregnant women join the original female figures. These red images remain etched in our memories. The hope is that someday, we will not have to display silhouettes for women, men or children, or tell their stories and wonder how this can continue to happen.