Every year since its launch in 2013, NO MORE has been spearheaded by plethora of different advocacy groups passionate about coming together in order to stop the plaguelike domestic and sexual abuse that is all too common in today’s world. NO MORE believes that silencing, stigmatizing, and shaming people who were abused only increases the possibility of more nonsensical acts of trauma that directly parallel what has already been endured. Rampant discrediting of people’s stories stymies anyone from confronting their attackers and coming forward about the injustice that occurred. Promoting feelings of guilt, loneliness, and fear is literally killing people, and overcoming and overpowering those who delight in the humiliation and dehumanization of survivors and victims is how we can save their lives. Advocating for the cessation of sexual, relationship, and domestic violence is something NO MORE works towards all year round, but it is traditional to hold a special weeklong global awareness initiative during the month of March – this year it runs from March 5th through the 11th. The women of Phi Mu Rho Mu of DePaul University are tabling in DePaul’s Student Center this year to help raise awareness, so I caught up with Madeline Dulabaum, class of 2018.
How did NO MORE Week become a tradition for DePaul’s Phi Mu ladies?
2 years ago one of my sisters, who has since graduated, spearheaded our chapter’s participation. She was incredibly passionate about preventing violence against women along with advocating in support for all humans who have ever felt demoralized and marginalized, and her idea was met with overwhelming support by our girls. Although it is currently mostly a Phi Mu thing, we would love to make it bigger and more inclusive throughout DePaul’s Greek community. The more participation, the better.
As a Women’s and Gender’s Studies minor, how do you incorporate theories and ideas you have learned in the classroom towards making Phi Mu’s NO MORE Week better and more effective?
As a result of my studies, I am a firm believer that stressing intersectionality towards domestic violence is critical, so I printed sections of We Believe You: Survivors of Campus Sexual Assault Speak Out by Annie E. Clark and Andrea L. Pino. One of the chapters that I find to be one of the most crucial to remember is called “The Dangerous Myth of the “Ideal” Survivor.” It specifically highlights the dangers of painting sexual abuse victims as white, heterosexual, feminine ciswomen because although humans with combinations of these attributes are indeed survivors and victims of sex crimes, ignoring the fact that you can have none of these characteristics and still experience this type of crime is critical. People who are male, masculine, genderqueer, and non-white are also plagued with violence and abuse, and they should never be seen as less credible. Focusing on how this “ideal” is by no means a perfectly accurate representation of all victims and or applies in all situations is really important to me.
How can we promote this project on social media in order to help spread awareness and advocacy?
#NOMORE and #LOUDERTOGETHER are two hashtags that are specific to this year’s campaign. There is also an option to temporarily add the NOMORE logo to your Facebook profile picture.
What services here at DePaul do you recommend survivors look into for support and assistance?
The Office of Health Promotion and Wellness, located on the third floor of The Student Center has a bunch of amazing resources – they even have a sexual and relationship violence specialist named Hannah Retzkin who can assist with reporting and answering any questions. The University Counseling Service is another service DePaul provides and is also located on the third floor of the STU. UCS is an incredibly accessible option because the copay is only 5 dollars per session.
Fun Facts About Madeline!
What She’s Studying:
Double majoring in Mathematics and English, minoring in Women’s and Gender Studies
Hometown:
Elgin, Illinois
Extracurricular Involvement:
Current member of Phi Mu Sorority and staff member of Crook and Folly, DePaul’s art and literary magazine. Especially enjoys smashing the patriarchy and destroying stereotypes about sororities and women in STEM fields.
Dream Pet:
I want a dog soooo badly.